Click Here to the Aroostook Guide.
Transcription
Click Here to the Aroostook Guide.
DISTANCE TO CENTRAL AROOSTOOK COUNTY ss, newplacetodobusine ra fo g in ok lo e ar u yo n Whe , ranoutdooradventure fo ce la p at re g a raiseyourfamily... to e ac pl e at tim ul e th over oryouwanttodisc nity! Countyisyouropportu k oo st oo Ar Visit rs.com www.AroostookChambe to receive your FREE Northern Maine SnowmobileTrailMap. ambers of Commerce n of Ch Aroostook Associatio mmerce & Industry Caribou Chamber of Co ariboumaine.net 800-722-7648 • www.c of Commerce Fort Fairfield Chamber ortfairfield.org (207)472-3802•www.f ber of Commerce Greater Fort Kent Cham entchamber.com 800-733-3563 • www.fortk of Commerce Greater Houlton Chamber terhoulton.com rea w.g ww 6• (207)532-421 ber of Commerce Greater Limestone Cham stonemaine.org me w.li (207)325-4025•ww ber of Commerce Greater Madawaska Cham ownofmadawaska.com (207)728-7000•www.t Regional C of C Northern Katahdin Valley kvrcc.com (207) 463-2077 • www.n New York, NY............................................. 601 miles Boston, MA.................................................. 393 miles Portland, ME.............................................. 287 miles Bangor, ME.................................................. 160 miles Montreal, QC.............................................. 466 miles Quebec City, QC....................................... 355 miles Halifax, NS. .................................................. 386 miles Being the largest county east of the Mississippi, there is a lot of ground to cover while you’re here. To help facilitate your travels, the events and listings found in this publication are color coded according to location: forest green for northern Aroostook, moss green for central Aroostook, and blue for southern Aroostook. When making your travel plans, keep in mind it generally takes two hours to travel from the southern part of the county to the northern region. ber of Commerce Presque Isle Area Cham hamber.org 800-764-7420•www.pic ber of Commerce Greater Van Buren Cham urenmaine.com anb w.v (207) 868-5059 • ww bers.com www.AroostookCham This publication produced by Aroostook County Tourism (888-216-2463) and Northern Maine Development Commission (800-427-8736). For more information on Aroostook County visit these websites: www.visitaroostook.com www.nmdc.org www.northernmainejobs.com Treasure our landscapes Celebrate our communities Aroostook County is a place like no other. Filled with vast stretches of wilderness, thousands of lakes and rivers, and wildlife too plentiful to count, it is a unique tourism destination. With less than 75,000 residents on more than 6,600 square miles of natural beauty, the largest county east of the Mississippi is brimming with uncrowded recreational opportunities. The great forest area of western Aroostook, called the North Maine Woods, Across the county, visitors can fish for brook trout in pristine rivers and comprises two thirds of the county and is mostly owned by companies in the streams or search for landlocked salmon in the renowned Fish River lumber and paper industry. This group of landowners employs a non-profit Lakes. Some anglers may even find a muskie in the St. John River or management organization to ensure that residents and visitors alike continue reel in a fiesty smallmouth bass on East Grand Lake. Avid hunters can to enjoy the area’s natural resources. Like the camping, canoeing, fishing and still track down massive moose, ten-point bucks and mighty black hunting that are popular spring, summer and fall activities. Or the ice fishing, bears. Ruffed grouse and waterfowl are plentiful for bird hunters. And snowshoeing and snowmobiling that take over the winter months. with all that space, hunters and fishermen peacefully coexist with like paddling, wildlife watching, biking and hiking. Aroostook has de- broccoli, peas and other crops. The business of farming still contributes signifi- veloped many recreational trails for snowmobiles, ATVs, bicyclists, hik- cantly to northern Maine’s economy and many local schools grant a harvest ers, cross country skiers and horseback riders taking advantage of the break in October so teenagers can work in the fields. breathtaking scenery, plentiful wildlife and tranquil surroundings. tradition. Our long history of lumbering has produced grounds. Aroostook County has two Native American tribes: the Patten’s Pioneer Days festival, which features a woodsmen Micmacs (Mik’maqs) and the Maliseets, while French-Acadians were competition, and a Lumberjack Roundup at the Northern among the first Europeans to settle in the area. In the mid-1800s, a Maine Fairgrounds in August. Houlton’s Potato Feast Days group of Swedish families immigrated to America and founded the honors the coming harvest of our largest agricultural crop, current day villages of New Sweden and Stockholm. as does Fort Fairfield’s weeklong Potato Blossom Festival. The many festivals, fairs and other annual events that make visiting Nearly every town, big or small, has its own version of a Aroostook County a unique experience are derived from this rich weekend festival, celebrating life in northern Maine with cultural heritage. The Acadian Festival in Madawaska celebrates the parades, homecooked food and old-fashioned competi- Acadian roots of the St. John Valley, while the Midsommar Celebra- tions. For a complete and up-to-date listing of these op- tion follows in the footsteps of the traditional Swedish recognition of portunities, see the event listings on pages 36 and 37 or the summer solstice. Other festivals celebrate Aroostook’s agricultural check out www.visitaroostook.com. LOCAL 411 Throughout this guide, you will see a few tidbits of text called “Local 411.” In an ef- fort to give you an honest look at our unique and beautiful area, we collected information from local experts on a variety of topics. Advice about wildlife watching, bike rides, lesser-known kayaking destinations and outdoor enthusiasts who come to enjoy Aroostook’s other offerings, Eastern Aroostook is covered with rolling farmland that produces potatoes, Northern Maine is also home to people of diverse cultural back- maybe even “secret” fishing hotspots, is provided by those who know. Those who have chosen to make their home in this place with breathtaking landscapes and welcoming communities.Take it from them. There is no other place like Aroostook. 2 www.visitaroostook.com www.visitaroostook.com 3 Tall Tales Waiting Aroostook County is home to hundreds of lakes and ponds as well as over 7,000 miles of streams and rivers, which provide some of the best freshwater fishing in the United States. The County is considered to be the last stronghold of Maine’s traditional coldwater species, which include native brook trout and landlocked salmon. It is not uncommon to catch 4+ pound landlocked salmon from some of the area lakes, and the world record landlocked salmon, a monster tipping the scales at almost 13 pounds, was caught on Long Lake in northern Aroostook. Native brook trout inhabit the vast majority of the county’s lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. While smaller streams likely will yield 6-10 inch brookies, some ponds and lakes hold much larger squaretails, including some in the 3+ pound range. There are also several areas where smallmouth bass are plentiful. These feisty fish can be found in some waters in southern Aroostook including Nickerson Lake in New Limerick and Spaulding Lake in Oakfield as well as in the St. John River in the northern part of the county. Another unique fish, the muskellunge or “muskie”, can be found in the St. John River and some of its larger tributaries. This hard hitting game fish is not a native to the area, so the state currently has no bag or length limits. Brown trout are available in the southern reaches of the county in the Meduxnekeag River watershed in the Greater Houlton area as well as some hatchery-reared browns in Drew’s Lake. Aroostook County is also home to several unique fishing opportunities for children. These state-listed “Kids Waters”, where youngsters have special regulations or access to the waters, include portions of the Aroostook River (Caribou) and Pierce Brook (Houlton), Logan Lake (Houlton), Mantle Lake (Presque Isle), Tote Road Pond (Moro Plantation) and Rock Crusher Pond (Island Falls). Whether it’s smallmouths in Houlton, brookies in the North Maine Woods or muskies in Fort Kent, there is sure to be a great fishing memory waiting to be made in Aroostook. Up Close and Personal The rugged beauty of Aroostook is the perfect backdrop to get an up great blue herons and more than 65 varieties of song birds, woodpeckers, hawks close and personal look at the area’s majestic wildlife. From the pristine and waterfowl. evergreen forests to the sparkling rivers and lakes, Maine’s largest county is overflowing with an enormous variety of species, some found nowhere else on the East coast. Visitors come from around the world to see our massive moose, hear the melancholy cry of the loons, watch the flight of the regal bald eagles and perhaps even get a glimpse of the black bear and whitetail deer. While some wildlife can easily be seen by simply driving on secondary and unpaved roads, many of the viewing opportunities are better accessed with local guidance. Maine’s Registered Guide program provides a network of professionals whose outdoor experience and hospitality will help ensure a satisfactory expedition. For your convenience, a comprehensive list of Professional Maine Guides located in northern Maine is included in this publication on pages 8 and Northern Maine forms a southern boundary of the northern evergreen 9. Aroostook is also home to the A.E. Howell Conservation Center in Amity and the boreal forest which, combined with the many changes in the area’s el- Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge in Limestone, which both provide a protected evation, create an ideal habitat for a diverse assortment of wildlife. In habitat for wildlife and education programs for visitors. Whether you’re looking addition to the large game, visitors can see beavers, fox, coyote, osprey, for unique song birds or our world-famous moose, you’ll find them in Aroostook. “Unspoiled by sprawl, undamaged by development, and unexpectedly improved by forestry, the North Maine Woods is a birding experience unlike anywhere else.” LOCAL 411 Bob Duchesne, Founder of the Maine Birding Trail The State of Maine website offers these tips to wildlife watchers: (www.state.me.us/ifw/wildlife/watchablewildlife.htm) Keep in mind that Maine’s animals are wild and should not be approached, fed or startled Wildlife are more active in early morning and evening Carry adequate water, particularly in summer, and dress appropriately, keeping in mind the cool temperatures that can occur in the evening and when exploring on and around the water Sunscreen and insect repellant are necessary during warmer seasons Several specialized items, like binoculars and field guides, can enhance your wildlife viewing A camera will help you bring your Maine wildlife adventure home with you; a telephoto lens will help get a close look without actually being too close to the wildlife In Maine, 95 percent of the land is privately owned. Please respect landowners’ wishes and obey posted signs 4 www.visitaroostook.com www.visitaroostook.com 5 Creatures Great and Small There is a rich history of sustainable hunting in the state’s most moose in the United States. The fringe between forest and agricultural land often hunted in both the deep woods and on the border between forest for in size. Aroostook County routinely has some of the state’s largest deer, with more than a northerly county. Many of the families in the area have been har- holds many species as well. Ruffed grouse inhabit the entire region, as do coyotes, and farm. Hunters have had a success rate of over 90% and need to few 10-pointers that dress out in excess of 225 pounds. These trophy deer are what hunters vesting game species for generations and generations. There are snowshoe hare, bobcats and many species of waterfowl. come prepared to handle these very large animals. come to the northern part of the state to find and most communities stand ready to help make Wild turkeys have been making a comeback in Maine and the 2006 spring turkey Aroostook County plays host to many black bear hunters every fall. hunt included a small area from Houlton to Patten. While turkeys are not found in the A male black bear weighs between 250 and 600 pounds, while Canada geese flock to Aroostook County to enjoy its moderate climate and plentiful habitat. Aroostook County consists of hundreds of thousands of acres of ag- rest of Aroostook County yet, they have been making their way steadily northward females will tip the scales at anywhere from 100 to 400 pounds. The vast stretches of farmland provide a bountiful harvest for geese, who like to eat cultivated ricultural land and millions of acres of heavily forested land which over the past several years. Many bear hunters employ Maine guides and hunt over bait or with grains, and the many lakes and ponds offer safety from predators. Sporting enthusiasts who hounds. enjoy the challenge of calling in this waterfowl won’t be disappointed. available on a permit lottery basis and are drawn in the spring of the year. Moose, Whitetail deer in Aroostook have a lower population density than With its wide open spaces and hunting heritage, Aroostook County provides excellent oppor- which can weigh upwards of 1,000 pounds, often have racks exceeding 60” and are what exists in other areas, but what we lack in volume we make up tunities to adventure seeking hunters. a variety of sporting opportunities, from hunting trophy whitetail bucks to trying your hand at calling Canada geese. make the area unique in its ability to nourish wildlife. The North Maine Woods, a more than 3.5 million acre tract of commercial forest land, is generally open to hunting. The vast forest lands are home to big whitetail deer, massive black bear and some of the largest Moose are hunted in northern Maine every fall in a split season hunt. Licenses are your hunt successful. North Maine Woods our greatest natural resource In the northwestern part of Aroostook County there lays a vast secluded forest known as the North Maine Woods. The nearly 4 million acre multiple use area is owned and managed by private landowners and state governmental agencies. This group oversees the North Maine Woods organization to ensure that resident and nonresident visitors alike continue to enjoy recreational activities such as fishing, hunting, camping, canoeing or sightseeing. The North Maine Woods is a region. The top quality commercial forest land includes within its boundaries two of the most famous wild rivers of the Northeast - the St. John and the Allagash. North Maine Woods completely surrounds the Allagash Wilderness Waterway and the only way to access this nationally protected river is through one 6 www.visitaroostook.com www.visitaroostook.com of the several gates manned by North Maine Woods employees. It is an organization. Landowners, big and small, corporations, individuals and families have joined with Maine’s natural resource agencies in a partnership to solve today’s problems and plan for the future. And it is a spirit. Past and present; people and nature meet here. Men and women who make their living from the woods and those who relax here love this area. And through North Maine Woods, they work together to see that while they take forest products, fish, wildlife and pleasure from this great region, they take nothing that will make it any less in the future than it is today. For more information on North Maine Woods, visit www.northmainewoods.org. 7 Thomas Aasbo Presque Isle ... 207-834-6324 www.camelbrookcamps.com Marci Argraves Jim Libby Castle Hill ... 207-764-7040 Ken Arndt Visitors to Aroostook County can discover some of the best hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities in the world. But some may need a little help finding their way. Professional Maine Guides are men and women who are skilled and experienced in outdoor sportsmanship and have passed muster with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to become registered. Presque Isle ... 207-764-8677 www.arndtscamp.com Jason Bouchard Ashland ... 207-794-8684 www.chandlerlakecamps.com Jim Carter Back in 1897, an outdoors woman named Fly Rod Crosby became the first Registered Maine Guide and started a long tradition of sportsmen and women who devote their lives to helping others enjoy Maine’s reknowned natural resources. One hundred years Tenley Bennett Eagle Lake ... 207-444-5207 New Sweden ... 207-896-3140 David Devoe L. Dean Paisley Eagle Lake ... 207-444-5589 Roger Greene Fort Kent ... 207-834-3144 Joel Guimond ago, it was simply up to the local game warden to Wallagrass ... 207-834-3612 www.trackdownkennelslodge.com decide if someone was fit to be licensed, but starting Allagash ... 207-398-3330 in 1975, guides had to pass rigorous verbal and written exams to be registered. Michael Hubbard Sean Lizotte Allagash ... 207-398-3418 www.allagashguideservice.com Edgar Lugdon The men and women listed here are Professional Maine Guides, all registered and making the extra effort to enhance the standards of the guiding industry. They are dedicated to promoting a quality, ethical and legal outdoor experience for all. For more information on this unique program, visit www.maineguides.org. Jerry McLaughlin Eagle Lake ... 207-444-4557 www.lugdonlodge.com John Martin Eagle Lake ... 207-444-5556 Fort Kent ... 207-834-2805 John Pelletier St. John Plantation ... 207-834-5259 George Pooler Wallagrass ... 207-834-3270 Ronald Ricciardi Eagle Lake ... 207-444-6108 Jean LeBlanc Oxbow ... 207-435-6140 www.oxbowlodge.com Washburn ... 207-455-8411 www.munsungan.com Dick Cullins Masardis ... 207-435-2031 www.maineblackwateroutfitters.com John DaRosa Oxbow ... 207-435-6357 www.homesteadlodgemaine.com David DeMerchant Presque Isle ... 207-764-0597 Jim Dumond Portage ... 207-435-6378 Woodland ... 207-493-4613 www.northcountrylodge.com Matt Libby Ashland ... 207-435-8274 www.libbycamps.com Matthew J Libby Ashland ... 207-435-8274 www.libbycamps.com Pat Long Ashland ... 207-435-6852 www.81x.com/pat/guide Lou Lorenzo Caribou ... 207-492-0077 www.bearhuntmaine.com Westfield ... 207-429-9479 Gloria Nelson John Graves Ivan Porter Dave Hentosh Kevin Quist Ashland ... 207-435-6977 Bridgewater ... 207-429-0910 www.smoldering-lake-outfitters.com Caribou ... 207-551-2393 Peter Hilton Presque Isle ... 207-764-3933 Perham ... 207-493-0989 www.rsguides.com Steven Hopkins John Robertson Portage Lake ... 207-435-8232 Bill Johnson Oxbow ... 207-435-6215 Reinie LaBelle Sheridan ... 207-435-8044 www.deerridgelodge.com Weston ... 207-448-2743 www.lwcamps.com Paul Dorward Houlton ... 207-532-0980 www.eastbranchlodge.com Donald Dudley Patten ... 207-446-6170 www.matagamonguideservice.com Carroll Gerow Smyrna Mills ... 207-528-2124 www.mainesportingcamps.com Bert Goodman Dale Goodman Nathan Theriault Fort Kent ... 207-834-6098 David Conley Delbert McCrum Jr. Portage Lake ... 207-942-0139 James Thibodeau Patten ... 207-446-4635 www.mainebearhunts.com Patten ... 207-528-2320 www.northcountrylodge.com Stockholm ... 207-896-7975 Presque Isle ... 207-762-9251 Joseph Christianson Masardis ... 207-435-6145 Jim Fahey Eagle Lake ... 207-444-7529 www.oldmillmarina.com Sherman ... 207-365-4548 Sheldon Lyons Oxbow ... 207-435-6357 www.homesteadlodgemaine.com Gary Sweeney Lee Bertsch Russell Reed Portage Lake ... 207-435-6211 www.themainelink.com/robertsons Mike Umphrey Washburn ... 207-455-4836 Dean Wiggins Presque Isle ... 207-768-8631 Patten ... 207-528-2320 www.northcountrylodge.com Hank Goodman Patten ... 207-528-2320 www.northcountrylodge.com Michael Hogan Monticello ... 207-538-0934 www.northcountrylodge.com Dwain Lord Patten ... 207-528-2742 www.mainetrophyhunts.com Michael Martin Patten ... 207-528-2948 Carroll Miller Jr. Patten ... 207-528-2958 Frank Ramelli Patten ... 207-528-2485 www.campwapiti.com John Schmidt Island Falls ... 207-463-2662 www.bearcreeklodge.com Hollis Seamans Houlton ... 207-532-3509 www.alderbranchguideservice.com Gerald Thomas Smyrna Mills ... 207-928-2851 www.visitaroostook.com 9 Deer River Lodge Ashland ... 207-435-8274 Libby Sporting Camps Ashland ... 207-435-8274 www.libbycamps.com Aroostook’s rich history of outdoor sportsmanship has resulted in a myriad of cabins and sporting camps tucked away in the quiet wilderness or nestled on the shores of our lakes and rivers. While many camps still host hunters and fishermen, most also cater to the vacationers who want to enjoy other outdoor activities or just relax in the peace and quiet. Allagash Guide Service Fish River Lodge Auntie’s Cabin Allagash ... 207-398-3418 www.allagashguideservice.com Eagle Lake ... 207-444-5207 www.fishriverlodge.com New Sweden ... 207-896-7805 www.auntiescabin.com Allagash Sporting Camps Lakeside Cottage Campground Cozy Log Cabin Rentals Allagash ... 207-398-3388 Eagle Lake ... 207-444-5098 Allagash Wildife Sporting Camps Lakeview Camps and Campground Black River Lodging Old Mill Marina Allagash ... 207-398-4251 Eagle Lake ... 207-444-4581 Allagash ... 207-398-4103 www.mainerec.com/jansoucy.shtml Eagle Lake ... 207-444-7529 Buck Stop Camps Eagle Lake ... 207-444-6356 Allagash ... 207-398-3330 Gardner’s Sporting Camps Allagash ... 207-398-3168 Hafford’s Sporting Camps Picture Perfect Cottages Winterview Lakeview Camps Eagle Lake ... 207-444-4502 Camel Brook Camps Allagash ... 207-398-3439 Fort Kent ... 888-242-2694 www.camelbrookcamps.com Tylor Kelly’s Camps Canoes-R-Us Allagash ... 207-398-3393 Willard Jalbert Camps Allagash ... 718-858-4496 Austin Cabins Cross Lake ... 207-543-7517 www.mainerec.com/austincabins Buckeye Bliss Cross Lake ... 910-278-6021 www.buckeyebliss.com Killarney’s Kottages Cross Lake ... 207-834-5814 www.killarneyskottages.com Moose Lodge Cross Lake ... 814-367-5158 www.mainelodgerental.com Birch Haven Camping Area Eagle Lake ... 207-444-5102 Bouchard Family Farm Cottage Eagle Lake ... 207-834-3237 Clover Hill Camping Area Eagle Lake ... 207-444-5179 Eagle Lake Sporting Camps Fort Kent ... 207-834-6329 Chub-n-Cub Guide Service Fort Kent ... 207-834-6324 www.chubncub.net Fish River Junction Fort Kent ... 207-834-4597 www.fishriverjunction.com Fort Kent Block House and Campground Fort Kent ... 207-834-3866 Fort Kent RV Park Fort Kent ... 207-834-3090 Sportsman’s Pride Four Seasons Lodging Fort Kent ... 800-889-6974 www.snowmobilelodging.com Village Inn Vacation Home Rental Fort Kent ... 207-834-6934 Fieldstone Cabins and Rainbow Cove RV Park Madawaska Lake ... 800-451-5281 www.madawaskalake.com St. Agatha ... 207-543-6439 www.cozylogcabinrentals.net Lakeview Campground Resort St. Agatha ... 207-543-6331 www.lakeviewrestaurant.net Linda’s Lakeside Cottages St. Agatha ... 207-728-4740 Blaine ... 207-429-8017 www.blainecountrycabins.com Caribou Cabins Caribou ... 207-498-2800 Trafton Lake Recreational Campground Limestone ... 207-325-3439 www.limestonemaine.org/welcome High Meadow Outfitters and Cabin Rentals Mars Hill ... 207-425-6410 Johnson’s Allagash Lodge Mars Hill ... 207-764-5875 Homestead Lodge Oxbow ... 207-435-6140 www.oxbowlodge.com Umcolcus Sporting Camps Oxbow ... 207-435-8227 www.umcolcus.com Arndt’s Aroostook River Lodge and Campground Presque Isle ... 207-764-8677 www.arndtscamp.com Aroostook State Park Presque Isle ... 207-768-7751 www.state.me.us/doc Barking Barn Farm Presque Isle ... 207-764-1620 www.barkingbarnfarm.com Neil Michaud Campground Presque Isle ... 207-769-1951 www.gocampingamerica.com/neilmichaud Campers Paradise Oxbow ... 207-435-6357 www.homesteadlodgemaine.com Westfield ... 207-429-8178 St. Francis ... 207-398-3191 www.mainecanoeadventures.com Birchwood Cottages Secret Pond Camps Northern Horizons Guide Services Cowger’s Lakefront Cottages Cross Rock Inn St. Francis ... 207-398-3292 Pelletier’s Campground St. Francis ... 207-398-3187 St. Froid Lake Camps and Campground St. Froid ... 207-444-4581 www.stfroidlakecamps.com Friendly Valley Lodging Danforth ... 207-448-2276 Danforth ... 207-448-2455 Greenland Cove Campground Danforth ... 800-448-7739 www.mainerec.com/gcc Mountainview Campground Danforth ... 207-448-2980 Rideout’s Lodge and Cottages Sinclair ... 207-543-6938 Danforth ... 207-448-2440 www.rideouts.com Lakeside Lodge Village Camps Sinclair ... 207-543-7517 www.mainelakesidelodge.com Long Lake Camping Area Sinclair ... 207-543-7563 Water’s Edge RV Resort Sinclair ... 207-543-5189 www.watersedgervresort.net Robertson Cottage Stockholm ... 207-896-3041 Track Down Kennels Lodge and Cabin Wallagrass ... 207-834-3612 www.trackdownkennelslodge.com Danforth ... 207-448-7726 www.vacationlandestates.com Wilderness Escape Outfitters Danforth ... 207-448-7700 Poor Shots Sportsman’s Lodge Hodgdon ... 207-532-7634 www.poorshots.com My Brother’s Place Houlton ... 207-532-6739 Birch Point Lodge and Campground Island Falls ... 207-463-2515 www.birchpointcampground.com Bear Mountain Lodge Moro Plantation ... 207-528-2124 www.mainerec.com/bearmtn.shtml Eagle Lake ... 207-752-0556 www.eaglelakesportingcamp.com 10 Blaine Country Cabins Oxbow Lodge www.visitaroostook.com www.visitaroostook.com Moro Plantation ... 207-528-2026 www.secretpondcamps.com High Acres Sporting Camps Oakfield ... 207-757-8717 Chiputneticook Sporting Lodge Orient ... 207-448-2929 Bowlin Camps Patten ... 207-528-2022 www.bowlincamps.com Mt. Chase Lodge and Country Inn Bradford Camps Patten ... 207-528-2183 Camp Wapiti Patten ... 207-528-2320 www.northcountrylodge.com Patten ... 207-746-7777 www.bradfordcamps.com Patten ... 207-528-2485 www.campwapiti.com Conklin’s Lodge Patten ... 207-528-2901 www.conklinslodge.com Dri-Ki Lodge Patten ... 207-528-2040 www.dri-ki.com North Country Lodge Scotty’s Flying Service Shin Pond ... 207-528-2626 www.katahdinoutdoors.com/scottys Shin Pond Village Camping and Cottages Shin Pond ... 207-528-2900 www.shinpond.com Finley Clarke Barnette’s Cabin Katahdin Lodge Winsome Camps and Eatery Patten ... 207-528-2131 Sherman ... 207-365-4147 Patten ... 207-528-7731 www.katahdinlodge.com Smyrna Mills ... 207-249-1288 Matagamon Wilderness Campground and Camps Weston ... 207-448-2078 www.paradisecabins.net Paradise Cabins Patten ... 207-528-2448 11 Take a Drive Combine rolling farmland and lush spruce forests with fresh, clean lakes and streams and lightly traveled roads and you get the perfect environment for a leisurely scenic drive. Throw in a few quaint communities along the way that offer fuel for the car and the passengers and you’ve got the blue ribbon recipe at the county fair. Take a cruise around Aroostook and you may see inches of new fallen snow sparkling on the branches of the bountiful evergreens in December; breathtaking red, orange and yellow foliage in September; or field after field of purple, pink and white potato blossoms in July. Just about any route you choose will reward you with incredible scen- ery and welcoming communities, but the state’s Department of Transportation has a couple of suggestions you may want to try. The Route 1 Scenic Byway, or “Million Dollar View,” lies in the southeastern most section of Aroostook County and northern Washington County near the Canadian province of New Brunswick. This eight-mile Scenic Byway has some of the most beautiful viewsheds in eastern Maine. The corridor passes near the summit of Peekaboo Mountain which provides an overlook of Grand Lake into the spectacular western mountainous region of New Brunswick, Canada. This is a significant wildlife viewing area for this region of the state and is the principal connecting corridor for Aroostook County and Downeast Maine. Arrive in northern Maine without your bicycle? Check out page 39 for local rental facilities. Route 11 Scenic Byway lies in the Fish River valley of Aroostook County in the north central area of the State of Maine. It is on a principal corridor connecting Maine with the Canadian province of New Brunswick. The land is unique to the northeastern region of the country, as it is sparsely vegetated with deciduous and coniferous trees, leaving the area’s rolling topography covered in grassland and wildflower meadows. The viewsheds on Route 11 are particularly outstanding, with the inclusion of the Fish River and numerous lakes that are visible from the byway. While you’re taking in the views, don’t forget to stop along the way to enjoy our culture and heritage. Many of the small communities have museums featuring historical items from the area’s agricultural and forestry past, and northern Aroostook has several museums and monuments celebrating the French-Acadian culture of the St. John Valley. You may see small antique shops specializing in furniture and equipment from local farming households and you’re sure to find a roadside diner serving the very best in downhome, Aroostook cooking. There is a small Amish community in the Oakfield area where you can glimpse their unique way of life, as well as stop into one of the community’s shops to browse the healthy, organic food or the hand-made furniture and buildings for sale. No matter where you choose to explore by automobile, our landscapes and communities will certainly exceed your expectations. Two-Wheel Touring Aroostook County’s extremely low traffic volume, well-main- the fields and farms that form nature’s patchwork quilt in central and southern tained road system and rolling terrain with wide open vistas make Aroostook, bicyclists discover a breathtaking view at every turn. The world’s only it a treasure trove of bicycle tourism options. Bicyclists who value large scale model of the solar system, located along Route 1 from Presque Isle to the unfettered ability to get where they are going on two wheels Houlton, is another great excuse to tour Aroostook by bike (www.umpi.maine. almost unanimously agree on the benefits of northern Maine. edu/info/nmms/solar/index.htm). For more information on organized bike tours From the boreal forests and rocky lakes of the St. John Valley to of northern Maine, contact the Bicycle Coalition of Maine at 207-623-4511. “In the shadow of Maine’s highest peak, Mt. Katahdin, the bike ride up Route 2 and down Route 11 in southern Aroostook is breathtaking. The rolling hills provide challenging terrain on this 60-mile loop, but also many peaks where riders can stop and enjoy the spectacular landscape. For a look at the local heritage, be sure to visit the Lumbermen’s Museum in Patten.” 12 www.visitaroostook.com www.visitaroostook.com LOCAL 411 Joe Ewings, Littleton 13 A cozy bed in a comfortable room, welcoming staff, great food and a spectacular view. Sound too good to be true? These amenities and more can be found at the hotels, motels, inns and bed and breakfasts around Aroostook. Check out our websites, give us a call, you won’t be disappointed. Eagle Lake Inn Eagle Lake ... 207-444-5130 Eagle’s View Bed & Breakfast Eagle Lake ... 207-444-2808 Lakeside Lodge Eagle Lake ... 207-444-4833 www.lakesidelodge.us Overlook Motel Eagle Lake ... 207-444-4535 www.overlookmotel.com Daigle’s Bed & Breakfast Fort Kent ... 207-834-5803 Northern Door Inn Fort Kent ... 207-834-3133 www.northerndoorinn.com Gateway Motel Madawaska ... 207-728-3318 www.motelgateway.com Martin’s Motel Madawaska ... 207-728-3395 www.martinsmotel.org Long Lake Motor Inn St. Agatha ... 207-543-5006 www.stagatha.com/longlake Kit’s Motel Heritage Trail Resort St. John Plantation ... 207-834-6452 www.heritagetrailresort.com Lakeside Lodge Sinclair ... 207-543-7517 www.mainelakesidelodge.com Brookside Manor Hotel Ashland ... 207-435-6697 Four Seasons Inn Ashland ... 207-435-8255 Caribou Inn & Convention Center Caribou ... 800-235-0466 www.caribouinn.com Crown Park Inn Van Buren ... 207-868-5158 Caribou ... 888-493-3311 www.crownparkinn.net New Colonial Motor Inn Linda’s Down Home Country Inn Van Buren ... 207-868-3939 Van Buren Hotel Van Buren ... 207-868-7780 St. Francis ... 207-398-4274 Aroostook County has long been famous for its greatest resource - its people. Known Caribou ... 207-498-6071 Caribou ... 207-498-2567 www.connectmaine.com/russells Rum Rapids Inn Bed & Breakfast Limestone ... 207-328-7277 Ivey’s Motor Lodge Most visitors leave with plans already underway for a return visit, and it’s easy to see Houlton ... 800-244-4206 www.houlton.net/iveys why when stories such as this one come to light: Scottish Inn Houlton ... 207-532-2236 taking some photos and offered to take a photo of the two of us together. She told us much about the history and culture of the area and then took us on a tour of the Biathlon Training Center in Fort Kent. She was kind and warm and we were happy to make her acquaintance.” -- Dianne from Lansdale, PA www.visitaroostook.com Mars Hill ... 207-429-8206 Mid-Town Motel Mars Hill ... 207-425-6241 Budget Traveler Motor Lodge Presque Isle ... 207-769-0111 Northeastland Hotel Russell’s Motel and visitors alike with a warmth that is not easily found elsewhere. They are proud of way to make us feel welcome. She stopped her vehicle when she saw us Graham House Bed & Breakfast Presque Isle ... 207-764-4441 www.northernlightsmotel.com Limestone Country Club Townhouses travels around the county. We met a woman there who went out of her Limestone ... 207-328-4280 www.loringinn.com Old Iron Inn Bed & Breakfast Caribou ... 207-492-4766 www.oldironinn.com Crouseville ... 207-455-8096 www.rumrapidsinn.com “We stayed in a motel in Fort Kent, using that as the home base for our The Loring Inn Presque Isle ... 207-768-5321 www.mainerec.com/eastland.shtml for their generous spirit and down home hospitality, county residents welcome friends their rural heritage and are eager to share their knowledge of and love for the area . 14 Dalton Inn Bed & Breakfast Shiretown Motor Inn Houlton ... 800-441-9421 www.shiretownmotorinn.com Star Dust Motel Houlton ... 800-437-8406 Sweet Sue’s Bed & Breakfast and Farmers Market Houlton ... 207-532-6089 Sweetwater Inn Houlton ... 207-532-6840 Sewall House Island Falls ... 207-463-3428 www.sewallhouse.com www.visitaroostook.com Northern Lights Motel Presque Isle Inn & Convention Center Presque Isle ... 800-533-3971 www.presqueisleinn.com Aroostook Hospitality Inn Washburn ... 207-455-8567 www.aroostookhospitalityinn.com Vacationland Estates Resort Island Falls ... 207-463-2884 www.vacationlandestates.com The Yellow House Bed & Breakfast Oakfield ... 207-757-8797 www.yellowhousebedandbreakfast.com Bartlette’s Lodge Patten ... 207-528-2070 Katahdin Valley Motel Sherman Mills ... 207-365-4554 www.katahdinvalleymotel.com Brookside Inn Smyrna ... 207-757-8456 First Settler’s Lodge Weston ... 207-448-3000 Try this great recipe from one of Aroostook’s unique inns, Rum Rapids... Pistachio-Crusted Pork with Plum Sauce 1/2 cup chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth 1/3 cup oyster sauce 1/3 cup plum sauce or jam 1/4 cup sherry or sweet Saki 1/4 cup orange juice 2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon lime peel 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 1/2 pound pork tenderloin cut into 12 rounds, each about 1 1/2 inches thick 1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) roasted, natural pistachios, finely chopped 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces Crispy fried leeks Combine chicken stock, oyster sauce, plum sauce, sherry, orange juice, chili-garlic sauce and lime juice/peel in heavy small saucepan over medium high heat. Simmer until sauce is reduced to 1 cup, whisking occasionally, about 35 minutes. Whisk in apple cider and sugar. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat sesame oil in large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Saute pork until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer pork to work surface, brush each piece with sauce and dip into pistachios, turning to coat. Transfer pork to rimmed baking sheet. Bake until thermometer inserted into center registers 150° F, about 10 minutes. Bring sauce to boil. Add butter one piece at a time, whisking just until melted before adding next piece. Transfer 2 pork medallions to each of 6 plates. Drizzle sauce around pork. Top with fried leeks, if desired. Makes 6 servings. 15 The Loring Inn at the Loring Commerce Centre Accommodating familes, business travelers and long term guests Located in the heart of the Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge, we offer: Direct access to snowmobile, ATV and hiking trails Nearby golf courses 17 Virginia Place, Limetone, ME 04750 For reservations and information: 207-328-4280 www.loringinn.com www.visitaroostook.com 17 Hit the Trails 2300 miles of woodsy twisters, lake crossings, high bridges and silky smooth rail-trail ripping. That’s what makes Aroostook County’s snowmobile trails unique. When you combine the wide open, two lane field crossings with the “way out there” big woods loop west of Allagash and add a healthy dose of the best snow in the eastern United States, you have the perfect recipe for a lifetime of snowmobiling memories. condition longer. This means you can ride further with less fatigue. That’s a winning scenic rides, whether it be a long loop ride, a short picturesque jaunt From scenic vistas to snowmobile centered events, The County has it all. There are many snow- combination. or a trip through the entire county. Club members spend countless mobiling events throughout the region during the winter months. In the north, there’s the hours maintaining the trails system in the summer and fall months, International Snowmobiler’s Festival in Madawaska. Caribou holds its annual Winter Carnival from building bridges to cutting brush and updating signage. In the and Snowmobile Fest in central Aroostook. Down south, there is the Island Falls Winterfest winter months, committed volunteers use the best available groom- and Log Drivers Cookout in February. Along with these three, there are numerous other events, ing technology to mold the snow into the best trails around. regular club ride-ins and cookouts. Check the listings in this publication on pages 36-37 or Aroostook County averages over 115 inches of the fluffy white stuff each year. Starting sometime in December, precipitation in northern Maine turns into sparkling crystals of snow that call to winter enthusiasts from around the world. From tiny, frozen flurries to huge wet flakes to weekend-long storms that bury the landscape check www.visitaroostook.com for dates and times of other events in all of the area towns. under a heavy, white blanket, the snow in Aroostook keeps coming for five long Variety is the spice of life and Aroostook County offers the spiciest One factor to consider when trying to decide on a snowmobil- months, ensuring great trail riding well into March and sometimes even April. trail system anywhere in the eastern United States. You will find con- Aroostook has phenomenal accessibility via snowmobile to gas, food, lodging, service and ing destination is density. Areas that have a limited trail system More than 40 well-organized and dedicated snowmobile clubs are firmly estab- verted railroad beds, wide open field and lake crossings, powerlines, parts. Whether you are looking for candlelight dining, old fashioned home cooking or a night and high user numbers tend to have traffic related issues. Trails in lished in most communities across the region and an extensive network of trails hills and woods trails all packed into the county. Combine this with of music and dancing, area businesses offer a variety of entertainment options and most have those areas get beaten up, dirty and full of washboards. Aroostook has emerged thanks to the cooperation of hundreds of generous landowners. The access to additional Maine trails to the south and west as well as direct trail access. There are also several businesses which provide snowmobile rentals and County has an incredibly diverse and extensive system coupled Northeast Snowmobile Trail (NEST), the international Interconnecting Trail System Canadian trails in New Brunswick and Quebec and you have the clothing, as well as experienced guides and completely outfitted tours. Our people take great with comparatively low usage allowing the trails to stay in better (ITS) and a multitude of local club trails provide snowmobilers with a variety of premier snowmobiling vacation destination. pride in the snowmobiling infrastructure. Come give it a try. Arrive in northern Maine without your sled? Check out page 39 for local rental facilities. LOCAL 411 “Northern Aroostook boasts some of the county’s most beautiful winter landscape and there is no better way to see it than by snowmobile. The Power Line Trail that loops around the town of Madawaska provides spectacular views of the St. John River Valley. Starting at the Madawaska Snowmobile Clubhouse, riders can follow the trail as it winds its way around town and up and down the valley, and take a break at the top of the ridge to take in the magnificent views of the St. John River. And the icing on the cake is the brand new 2007 Tucker 2000 Sno-Cat the Madawaska Snowmobile Club will be grooming the trails with this year. It’s perfect for keeping the trails in tip-top condition.” Mike Guerrette, Madawaska Snowmobile Club President and 25-year snowmobiling veteran 18 www.visitaroostook.com www.visitaroostook.com 19 A Bite to Eat Pizza House Big Cheese Pizza Al’s Diner Burger Boy Casa de Nagla Caribou ... 207-493-7858 Caribou ... 207-493-3030 Caribou ... 207-498-2329 Aroostook County offers some of the best down home cooking this side of the Mississippi. Local restaurants take full advantage of home grown produce and spare no expense when shopping for the best ingredients. Combine that with our traditional cuisine and one-of-a-kind customer service and you’ve got a recipe for wholesome goodness. Cindy’s Sub Shop Allagash ... 207-398-3277 Two Rivers Lunch Allagash ... 207-398-3393 Dionne’s Family Restaurant Cross Lake ... 207-834-4416 Lakeside Lodge & Restaurant Eagle Lake ... 207-444-4030 Fiddle Heads Eagle Lake ... 207-444-4826 Al’s Tastee Freeze Fort Kent ... 207-834-5324 American Dream Resort Fort Kent ... 207-834-6452 Bee Jays Tavern Fort Kent ... 207-834-3826 China Garden Fort Kent ... 207-834-2045 Doris’ Café Fort Kent Mills ... 207-834-6262 Rock’s Family Diner Fort Kent ... 207-834-2888 The River House Restaurant Fort Kent ... 207-834-5266 Swamp Buck Restaurant Fort Kent ... 207-834-3055 Dolly’s Restaurant Frenchville ... 207-728-7050 Rosette’s Restaurant Tastee Freeze Madawaska ... 207-728-4245 Lakeview Restaurant Frederick’s South Side Bonanza Family Restaurant Jade Palace Restaurant & Lounge Chopsticks Caribou ... 207-498-3648 Presque Isle ... 207-764-6633 Governor’s Restaurant & Bakery Presque Isle ... 207-769-2274 Pizza To Go Reno’s Family Restaurant Gram Russo’s Long Lake Sporting Club Crystal Lynn’s Madawaska ... 207-728-3397 Erik’s Lakeside Grill Madawaska ... 207-895-3566 Gateway Motel & Restaurant Sport’s Inn Heidi’s Tea Shop Presque Isle ... 207-768-7900 Eureka Hall Restaurant The Par & Grill Irish Setter Pub Caribou ... 207-492-0988 Presque Isle ... 207-764-5400 Picnic Basket Café Mai Tai Restaurant & Lounge Easton ... 207-488-0926 Presque Isle ... 207-764-4426 Aroostook Valley Country Clubhouse Northeastland Hotel Coffee Shop Fort Fairfield ... 207-472-4910 Presque Isle ... 207-768-5321 Stockholm ... 207-896-3196 John’s Restaurant Van Buren ... 207-868-5129 Josie’s Diner Van Buren ... 207-868-5400 Robin’s Restaurant Jeff’s Pizza & Subs Phil’s Pizza Madawaska ... 207-728-4800 Tang’s Palace Restaurant Madawaska ... 207-728-4181 Madawaska House of Pizza Madawaska ... 207-728-4443 Presque Isle ... 207-764-3321 Caribou ... 207-498-3396 Van Buren ... 207-868-3044 Rumours Pub & Grill Caribou ... 207-496-5331 Sinclair ... 207-543-7584 Madawaska ... 207-728-3318 Madawaska ... 207-728-6283 Presque Isle ... 207-764-3601 Napoli’s Bert’s Lunch Stand Madawaska ... 207-728-0944 Big Cheese Pizza Presque Isle ... 207-764-5500 Caribou ... 207-492-1102 St. Agatha ... 207-543-6901 Café de la Place Mars Hill ... 207-425-2500 St. Agatha ... 207-543-6331 Frenchville ... 207-543-7559 Madawaska ... 207-728-3100 Mars Hill ... 207-429-8186 Caribou ... 207-498-6021 Caribou ... 207-498-3464 Allagash Outfitters Mapleton ... 207-764-3600 Canterbury Royale Pat’s Pizza Fort Fairfield ... 207-472-4910 Presque Isle ... 207-764-0367 Van Buren ... 207-868-2736 Mike and Maude’s Village Restaurant Presque Isle Country Club Fort Fairfield ... 207-472-1300 Presque Isle ... 207-764-0430 Tasty Food Kelley’s Restaurant Riverside Inn Limestone ... 207-325-4731 Presque Isle ... 207-764-1447 Rendezvous Restaurant Rosella’s Pizzeria Limestone ... 207-328-7211 Presque Isle ... 207-764-6644 2 chicken bouillon cubes Mapleton Lunch Ruby Tuesday 1/2 medium onion, minced Van Buren ... 207-868-3011 Four Seasons Ashland ... 207-435-8255 Freem’s Bar & Grill Ashland ... 207-435-7113 Mapleton ... 207-764-0056 Presque Isle ... 207-764-2874 Shirley and Harold’s Presque Isle ... 207-764-5174 Slopes Northern Maine Restaurant & Brewing Co. Presque Isle ... 207-769-2739 Tang’s Courtyard Presque Isle ... 207-762-3268 The Sandwich Shop Presque Isle ... 207-764-3797 Winnie’s Dairy Bar Presque Isle ... 207-769-4971 Washburn Coffee Shop Washburn ... 207-455-4062 20 A spring ritual for northern Maine residents is the picking of fiddleheads along the many rivers in late May. Fiddleheads, the very young, coiled leaves of the ostrich fern, are a County delicacy. Many Aroostook fiddlehead aficionados simply boil the cleaned fiddleheads, drain and season with butter, salt, pepper and sometimes vinegar. There are, however, some delicious local recipes that take advantage of this fern’s delicate flavor. Cream of Fiddlehead Soup 1-1/2 cups fiddleheads, finely chopped 2 tablespoons butter 3-1/2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup heavy cream salt and pepper to taste Melt butter and bouillon cubes in a sauce pan and sauté onions and fiddleheads for 10 minutes. Add milk and heat thoroughly; stir in cream and season to taste. Serve steaming hot. Makes 6 servings. Recipe from Yankee’s Country Fair Cookbook 21 Let’s face it. Some situations just call for quick, easy and kid-friendly. Not to worry, Aroostook has plenty of those restaurants, too. Johns Thriftway Sub Shop Northern Maine Truck Stop A Place to Eat Fort Kent ... 207-834-6566 Crossroads Café Fort Kent ... 207-834-7330 Houlton ... 207-532-9891 Oakfield ... 207-757-8866 Sadie’s Bakery Craig’s Clam Shop Fort Kent ... 207-834-4606 Houlton Farms Dairy Blaine ... 207-425-7841 Houlton ... 207-532-2628 Cornerstone Inn & Restaurant Danforth ... 207-448-2028 Hungry Bear Eatery Danforth ... 207-448-7794 The Ice Cream Bar Mill Pond Dairy Bar Houlton ... 207-532-6650 Patten ... 207-528-2784 Tang’s Chinese Cuisine Downtown Deli & Pizza Danforth ... 207-448-2802 Houlton ... 207-532-4012 Patten ... 207-528-2012 Peggy’s Dairy Bar Taste of China Kristy’s Family Restaurant Houlton ... 207-532-1281 Hodgdon ... 207-532-9891 The Vault Blue Moose Restaurant Houlton ... 207-532-2222 Houlton ... 207-538-0991 York’s Dairy Bar Brookside Restaurant Houlton ... 207-532-6079 Houlton ... 207-757-8456 Horn of Plenty Restaurant Courtyard Café Island Falls ... 207-463-2861 Houlton ... 207-532-0787 Porter’s Restaurant Elm Tree Diner Houlton ... 207-532-3181 Island Falls ... 207-463-2215 Governor’s Restaurant & Bakery Tiffany’s Bar & Grill Island Falls ... 207-463-2525 Grammies Country Inn Houlton ... 207-532-7808 Trails End Restaurant at Birch Point Houlton Big Stop Restaurant Blue Moose Lodge Houlton ... 207-521-0035 Houlton ... 207-521-0290 Island Falls ... 207-532-1281 McDonald’s Oakfield ... 207-757-7474 Subway Pierrette’s Kitchen Sherman Mills ... 207-365-4856 Tap’s Pizza & Subs Weston ... 207-448-3000 The Million Dollar View Restaurant 22 Mapleton ... 207-764-8547 Presque Isle ... 207-762-8651 Pizza Hut Subway Rob’s Pit Stop Mix in to the dry mixture: 1 tsp vanilla, 1 egg, 1/2 cup shortening and 3/4 cup buttermilk Let cool 2-3 minutes and then add 1/2 cup shortening. Beat until thoroughly mixed. Then add dash of salt, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat again until smooth. Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. When whoopie pies are cooked and cooled, spread filling between halves and enjoy! Presque Isle ... 207-764-6130 Arby’s Restaurant Subway Presque Isle ... 207-764-7225 Tim Horton’s Presque Isle ... 207-760-9158 County Junction Market & Bakery Dow’s Market McDonald’s Tim Horton’s Food Trend Pizza Hut Big Stop Irving Store Burger King Houlton ... 207-532-0977 Houlton ... 207-532-9234 Graham’s Quick Mart Houlton ... 207-532-6948 I-95 Food Trend Houlton ... 207-532-0785 KFC Houlton ... 207-532-9500 Houlton ... 207-532-9002 Subway Houlton ... 207-532-6233 T&S Market Houlton ... 207-532-6672 Bishop’s Market Houlton ... 207-532-9468 Houlton ... 207-532-6600 Island Falls ... 207-463-2301 Cameron’s Market Ken’s Store Lane Station Stop Houlton ... 207-532-2872 Bradley’s Deli Presque Isle ... 207-764-5447 Presque Isle ... 207-764-5172 Houlton ... 207-532-2948 Mix together in pan on stove over low heat until paste forms, stirring constantly: 1/2 cup whole milk and 2 1/2 tbls flour Mars Hill ... 207-425-7199 Caribou ... 207-492-0363 Andy’s IGA Almost every visitor to Aroostook notices at least two things they’ve never seen before: red hot dogs and whoopie pies (not necessarily served together!) While some just never acquire a taste for our red-skinned barbecue meat, most can’t resist the rich and delicious whoopie pie dessert. This version courtesy of Linda Hubbard. Sift together: 2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cream of tartar, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 cup cocoa and 1 1/2 cups sugar Pizza Hut Houlton ... 207-532-3305 Whoopie Pies McDonald’s Trett’s Houlton ... 207-521-0100 Monticello ... 207-538-0991 KFC/Taco Bell Presque Isle ... 207-764-0734 Ouellette’s Variety & Alice’s Bakery Houlton ... 207-532-2218 Weston ... 207-448-7013 Presque Isle ... 207-769-8231 Caribou ... 207-496-0402 Tim Horton’s First Settler’s Lodge M&K Variety Pizza & Subs Burger King Presque Isle ... 207-764-1383 Caribou ... 207-493-4520 Smyrna ... 207-757-8456 Bridgeside Variety Fort Fairfield ... 207-472-3120 St. Francis ... 207-398-3119 Limestone ... 207-325-4332 Subway Brookside Inn & Restaurant Easton ... 207-488-2800 Sue’s Market & Sub Shop Caribou ... 207-498-3181 Caribou ... 207-498-8523 Sherman Mills ... 207-365-7450 Uptown Variety Kitchen Ferris One Stop McDonald’s Sherman Mobile & Restaurant Subway Madawaska ... 207-728-7199 Burger King Caribou ... 207-492-9041 Sherman Mills ... 207-365-4867 McDonald’s Madawaska ... 207-728-6330 Fort Kent ... 207-834-6888 Dead River Food Trend Sherman Mills Irving Big Stop Restaurant Madawaska ... 207-728-7857 St. Agatha ... 207-543-5104 Caribou ... 207-498-3500 Patten ... 207-528-2070 Dollar Deals & More Houlton ... 207-532-7201 Sherman Station ... 207-365-7333 23 A U T O SA L E S ’ S E S F F HO What Kind Of Car Do You Need Today?™ 581 Main Street • Presque Isle, ME 04769 ph: 207-764-5615 | fx: 207-764-5626 | after hours: 207-764-5826 www.usave.net 3-Day Festival held the 1st Weekend in February in Madawaska, Maine and Edmunston, New Brunswick Join hundreds of Canadians and American snowmobilers and enjoy our breathtaking trails for just $30 during this unforgettable weekend! SM Your Maine Cash Access connection in Aroostook County. Member FDIC www.fcbmaine.com Play famouse golf courses... without leaving home! With our indoor golf simulator, you can play on all the famous courses with your own clubs. It’a great cold and rainy weather activity. We also offer a full service bar and a restaurant with a full menu. 118 Bennett Drive Caribou, ME 04736 207-492-0988 24 www.visitaroostook.com Nordic Traditions Maine has a rich history of skiing dating back to 1870, when 21 fami- carnivals began to develop with sprinting races, jumping competitions and eventually, and the nordic skiing experience and to make skiing at small, community whether it’s your first time on skis or you’ve been skiing forever. With new lifts, snowmaking lies were recruited from Stockholm, Sweden to help settle northern marathon races that covered 180 miles in four days. These were truly hearty people who areas as accessible to families as possible. That means low ticket prices, low and lighting, Big Rock is the best value in skiing in the East. You’ll also find learning to ski is Maine. The climate and topography were very similar and Governor loved the winter. rental costs and programs that reach out to children and schools. fast and fun for the whole family at the Quoggy Jo ski hill in Presque Isle where a new T-bar Joshua Chamberlain thought the hard working Swedish tempera- Since 1999 the Maine Winter Sports Center staff and volunteers have worked around the ment was just what was called for to settle the vast virgin forests of Residents and visitors enjoy recreational skiing at the 10th Mountain Center state to re-establish skiing as a lifestyle in Maine and develop a foundation for a quality of Aroostook County. in Fort Kent, the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle, and on community Non-skiers also find themselves involved. Over 700 volunteers helped host the 2004 Biathlon life that will inspire people to build their futures in skiing communities. At the heart of this trails located throughout Aroostook. All community trails are free of charge World Cup, the 2006 Biathlon Junior World Championships, and are looking forward to the They cut roads, built villages and made new lives for themselves. They effort is the goal of creating a new economic and cultural model for Maine’s rural communi- and open year round for non-motorized use. 2009 Biathlon World Cup being held in Fort Kent. Over 60 volunteers have earned their “Basic also brought skiing with them to their new home as an inseparable ties, where community-run non-profit ski areas provide an epicenter for programs for all part of their lifestyle. During the winter they skied for transportation ages and serve as economic engines for these communities. and hunting, and also for recreation. Soon after their arrival, winter The Maine Winter Sports Center provides funds to improve the quality of both the alpine Alpine skiers enjoy affordable, family-oriented skiing the way it used to be. Big Rock Ski Area in Mars Hill is big mountain skiing at little mountain prices Arrive in northern Maine without your ski equipment? Check out page 39 for local rental facilities. with a special emphasis on making sure that you have a great experience and new rental equipment have improved the ski experience. Officials” level 1 certificate from the United States Biathlon Association and six local volunteers served at the Olympics in Salt Lake City. For more information on alpine and nordic skiing in Aroostook, please visit www.mainewsc.org and click on “Aroostook County.” Alpine Areas Lonesome Pine Trails ... Fort Kent ... 207-834-3251 ... www.umfk.maine.edu/aboutumfk/tour/ski.cfm Big Rock ... Mars Hill ... 207-425-6711 ... www.bigrockmaine.com Quoggy Jo ... Presque Isle ... 207-764-3248 ... www.mainewsc.org/facilities_quoggy.html Nordic Trails Cross Country Ski Trails ... Frenchville ... 16km 10th Mountain Division ... Fort Kent ... 35km Madawaska High School ... Madawaska ... 8km New Sweden Community Ski Trails ... New Sweden ... 3.6km Nordic Lakers Cross Country Club ... St. Agatha ... 7km Snowy Mountain Trails ... Stockholm ... 5km Split Cedar Ski Trails ... Van Buren ... 18km Aroostook State Park ... Presque Isle ... 22km Aroostook Ski Touring Center ... Ashland ... 15km Big Rock Cross Country ... Mars Hill ... 5km Caribou High School ... Caribou ... 7.5km Caribou Country Club Ski Trails ... Caribou ... 17km Caribou Teague Park ... Caribou ... 2km Easton Ski Trails ... Easton ... 10km Fort Fairfield Ski Trails ... Fort Fairfield ... 3km Limestone Ski Trails at Trafton Lake ... Limestone ... 22km Little Rock Ski Trail ... Mars Hill ... 6.6km Aroostook Wildlife Refuge ... Limestone ... 1.7km Nordic Heritage Center ... Presque Isle ... 30km Washburn Ski Trails ... Washburn ... 6km Westmanland Ski Trails ... Westmanland ... 36km Woodland Community Ski Trail ... Woodland ... 3.5km Benedicta Ski Trail ... Benedicta ... 3.7km Shin Pond Ski Trails ... Shin Pond ... 18km For more detailed information on Aroostook’s nordic trails, visit www.mainewsc.org/facilities_trails.html 26 www.visitaroostook.com www.visitaroostook.com 27 In spite of its rural nature, Aroostook is filled with unique art and cultural experiences. On these pages, find museums featuring the traditions that thrived centuries ago, as well as galleries and displays exhibiting the artistic expressions of today’s residents. There are also some unique places to view original artwork, thanks to Maine’s Percent for Art, which provides funds for public art. Since the law was enacted in 1979, there have been several projects commissioned for public buildings in Aroostook, including the Presque Isle court house, Northern Maine Community College, Universities in Presque Isle and Fort Kent, and elementary schools in Fort Fairfield, Mars Hill and Washburn. For more information on each project, visit mainearts.maine.gov/public/percent. Galleries and More Caribou Performing Arts Center Caribou ... 207-493-4278 www.caribou.k12.me.us/PAC/PAC.html With a seating capacity of 826, performances are held throughout the year featuring local as well as nationally acclaimed performers. Lister Art Gallery Caribou ... 207-498-3544 The gallery includes the works of Wayne G. Lister, a wildlife artist who paints landscapes, florals and wildlife in oils and acrylics. Windy Hill Wood Art Studio Easton ... 207-488-5201 Wood-burned original designs of wildlife. New England scenes on hardwood and some softwood. Fort Fairfield Community Bandstand Fort Fairfield ... 207-472-3802 An amazingly beautiful gazebo style bandstand. This 40-foot diameter structure was constructed and paid for by the citizens of Fort Fairfield. Many different community events take place in this unique structure. Woods Edge Gallery Perham ... 207-455-8359 Exhibitions of paintings and photographs of Aroostook County with an emphasis on forests. Open for tours by appointment and regularly Tuesday through Saturday, 1pm to 5pm. Wintergreen Arts Center Presque Isle ... 207-551-0936 www.wintergreenarts.org Located in the Aroostook Centre Mall, the center provides local artists the opportunity to teach drawing, painting and sculpture, and encourages education in theater, photography, film, digital arts, fiber arts and writing. Open Studio Days feature drop-in classes on Saturdays. Boy with the Leaky Boot Houlton ... 207-532-4216 This statue in Pierce Park is one of 27 in the world, and “the only one that provides water for both man and beast.” Monument Park Houlton ... 207-532-4216 Amphitheater, Civil War monument, Cary Library, summer concerts. Site of yearly Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day ceremonies, summer craft fairs and regular Thursday evening concerts by McGill’s Community Band. 28 Association Culturelle et Historique du Mont-Carmel Lille ... 207-895-3339 Located US Route 1, this museum and cultural center was built as a Catholic Church in 1909 and contains church artifacts and sculptures by Louis Joban. Open 12noon to 4pm, Sunday through Friday. Le Club Francais (The French Club) Madawaska ... 207-728-4649 All French plus Mikesell collection about French colonization in all of North America Acadian Archives Fort Kent ... 207-834-7535 http://www.umfk.maine.edu/archives/main.htm Tante Blanche Acadian Museum Regional history and cultural archives operated by the University of Maine at Fort Kent. Collection contains manuscript and audio/visual materials relevant to the history, culture, and folklife of the Saint John Valley; census records; and genealogical repertoires. Photos and artifacts relating to history. Learn about the Acadian pioneer woman known as “Tante Blanche.” Open during the summer from 12noon to 3pm. Madawaska ... 207-728-4272 The Acadian Cross Fort Kent Blockhouse Museum Madawaska ... 207-728-4272 Fort Kent ... 800-SEE-FKME http://acim.umfk.maine.edu/blockhouse.html Fourteen foot white mable cross marks the place where the first Acadian settlers set foot in the valley after canoeing up the St. John River. National Register of Historic Places. Museum is the only existing fortification relating to the “Bloodless” Aroostook War of 1838. It remains a good example of early-19th-century military architecture. Acadian Village Frenchville Historical Society Museum Van Buren ... 207-728-4272 www.themainelink.com/acadianvillage Frenchville ... 207-543-7309 Caboose on Main Street (US Route 1) built in 1910 by the Bangor and Aroostook to hold 50,000 gallons of water to service steam locomotives. Open during the summer from 12noon to 4pm, Friday through Monday or by appointment. Seventeen original and replica buildings completely furnished with period furniture and artifacts arranged in a traditional Acadian pattern. Displays of artifacts common to Acadians of the St. John Valley in the mid 18th century. National Register of Historic Places. Open 12noon to 5pm during the summer. Other days and times by appointment. Local Libraries Fort Kent Public Library Madawaska Public Library Fort Fairfield Public Library Robert Frost Memorial Library Madawaska ... 207-728-3606 www.madawaskalibrary.org Abel J. Morneault Memorial Library Mars Hill ... 207-429-9625 Fort Kent ... 207-868-5076 Ashland Community Library and William Dalton Historical Society The Covenant Church The church was originally known as the Free Mission Covenant Church and was constructed in 1891. Tours by appointment. Contact 207-896-5202. Gustaf Adoph Lutheran Church This vintage 1880s church is currently being considered for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. It features stained glass windows and is open to the public by appointment. Contact 207-896-3437. Maine’s Swedish Colony Larsson-Ostlund House The only known two-story log house in Maine. It is open for tours on weekends and by appointment. Contact 207-896-3461. Larsson-Noak Historic District This historic district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (#89000847). The Lars Noak Blacksmith Shop has been resotred and is open on weekends until Midsummer and then Tuesday through Sunday until Fall. The Capitol School was originally a one-room school and is now used as a gift shop. Contact 207-896-3199. Anders and Johanna Olsson Farm The house and barn are among the earliest built in Stockholm (1871) and both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (#96000245). The barn is constructed of 40-foot hand-hewn logs. Tours by appointment. Contact 207-896-3052. WTA Hansen Memorial Library Turner Memorial Library Presque Isle ... 207-764-2571 www.presqueisle.lib.me.us Stockholm Historical Society Tri-Cultural Museum Washburn Memorial Library The museum building, which was the first store and post office in Stockholm, contains pictures, a kitchen and library, a new veterans room and barn with farm machinery. Open Wednesday through Sunday afternoons from June to September. Tours by appointment. Contact 207-896-5759. Ashland ... 207-435-6532 Washburn ... 207-455-4814 Caribou Public Library Cary Library Caribou ... 207-493-4214 www.geocities.com/maineswedishcolony The museum contains 19th century furnishings, artifacts, pictures, and farming and lumbering equipment. Lindsten-Stuga, a shingle-covered log house containing household items is located behind the museum as well as a monument listing the original Swedish colonists. The museum and log house are open Memorial Day to Labor Day, Monday through Friday from 12noon to 4pm and Saturday and Sunday from 1pm to 4pm. Other times and dates by appointment through Columbus Day. Fort Fairfield ... 207-472-3880 Limestone ... 207-325-4706 For more information, visit New Sweden Historical Society New Sweden Museum in the Kapitoleum All of Aroostook’s community libraries provide extensive collections that include old newspapers, magazines, maps and atlases, photographs, yearbooks, town reports, oral histories and genealogies. The libraries in Caribou and Houlton are also National Historic Buildings. Fort Kent ... 207-834-3048 In around 1869, Maine’s state immigration commissioner traveled to Sweden and recruited 51 adventurous immigrants. He brought them back across the ocean and introduced them to a small area of virgin forest in northern Maine that soon became known as New Sweden. Thanks to the perseverance, ingenuity and strength of these early settlers, the colony prospered and grew into the neighboring townships of Westmanland, Stockholm and Woodland. The swedish heritage continues to be strong in this unique area of Aroostook and many remnants of this early colony still stand today. Houlton ... 207-532-1302 www.visitaroostook.com 29 Aroostook Historical and Art Museum Houlton ... 207-532-2519 Aroostook pioneer implements, artifacts and documents; Indian and Aroostook War artifacts; natural history collection. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. First Church of Houlton - Unitarian Ashland Logging Museum Thomas Heritage House Limestone-Caswell Historical Society Museum The museum building contains local artifacts and includes a blacksmith’s shop. There are also two machine sheds with artifacts and exhibits. The museum is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. This home has been restored with furnishings dated back to the 1880’s. This well preserved monument is only shown by appointment Exhibits and artifacts featuring the potato industry. First air harvester on display. Open Sundays 1pm to 3pm during summer. Other days and times by appointment. Caribou Historical Center and Museum Caribou ... 207-496-5683 Ashland ... 207-435-6679 Caribou ... 207-498-2556 Three miles south of downtown Caribou on US Route 1. Exhibits and artifacts relating to the Caribou region including farm implements, furniture, and large wheel bike. Open during the summer from 11am to 5pm, Wednesday through Saturday. Caribou Historical Society Whittier Memorial Caribou ... 207-498-6551 The memorial is open in the summer from Tuesday through Saturday. It contains antiques and artifacts from early Caribou homes, historical papers, photo albums, post cards, newspapers, Civil and Spanish War memorabilia, home furnishings dating to the late 1800s, home and farm tools, and new and out-of-print books. Gray Memorial United Methodist Church Caribou ... 207-498-2103 The Methodist Church, which was constructed in 1913, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (#95000725). It contains an old pipe organ and stained glass windows and is open for tours by contacting the church office. Caribou ... 207-493-3188 Unitarian Universalist Church Haystack Historical Society Schoolhouse Museum Built in 1894, the church is the oldest church building in Caribou. It was originally the Union Meeting House, and was used by the Baptists and Methodists. Tours by appointment. The museum and schoolhouse are open on Memorial Day, the last weekend in June and by appointment. The museum contains old photos, grange tools, yearbooks, town reports, donated books, a spinning wheel, desks and blackboards. Open June 30 to September 1. Easton Historical Society Winslow Farm Vascular Land Plant Site This historical society’s collection is housed at the town hall and contains artifacts of local historical interest. The site consists of Devonian-period fossils of the earliest land plants known to exist on earth. The protected site can be accessed by arrangement with Dena Winslow. Research on the site has been published by geologist Bill Forbes of Washburn. Mapleton ... 207-764-4717 Mapleton ... 207-764-4264 Easton ... 207-488-6846 Blockhouse Museum Double Eagle II Park Fort Fairfield ... 207-476-5221 The museum is a 1976 replica of the original structure located on the banks of the Aroostook River, which served to prevent the transport of lumber into Canada during the “Bloodless Aroostook War” of 1839. The blockhouse is filled with artifacts from early Fort Fairfield history including agricultural items, antiques, photographs, and documents. McElwain House Friends Church The building is the original 1916 house of John McElwain, a wealthy potato farmer. The house features leaded stained glass windows and tiffany glass in the dining room cabinets. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places (#82000739). Tours by appointment. It is the earliest church still standing in Fort Fairfield, built in 1860 by a group of Quaker Friends. According to oral history, it was a part of the Underground Railroad before and during the Civil War, and was later used as a community church. It is being restored by the Frontier Heritage. Caribou ... 207-498-8736 Nylander Museum Caribou ... 207-493-4209 www.nylandermuseum.org Geological collections, permanent collections of local butterflies and moths, mounted birds and animals, early man artifacts, nature walks and a medicinal herb garden. Winter hours: Mon, Tues and Thurs 3-7pm. Summer hours: Tues - Sat 12:30-4:30pm. Rosie O’Grady Balloon of Peace Monument Caribou ... 800-722-7648 Located in the field behind Keaton Locksmith on Route 164. This monument marks the origination point for the first solo balloon flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1984. Limestone ... 207-325-4937 Fort Fairfield ... 207-476-8904 Philo H. Reed House Fort Fairfield ... 207-472-2691 A 20-room Queen Anne mansion built by Aroostook entrepreneur Philo H. Reed in 1907-1909 and designed by Coombs and Gibbs, a noted Maine architectural firm of the period. Featured are stained glass windows, Italian tiles, exotic woodwork and antique furniture. Occasionally open by appointment or invitation. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (#86000673). Railroad Museum Fort Fairfield ... 207-476-5093 Located at the old Bangor & Aroostook rail yard on Depot Street, the museum is comprised of a display of locomotives and cars. It includes a newly refurbished combination sleeping-dining car and presents the history of the B&A and CP railroads. A public pancake breakfast is held during the Maine Potato Blossom Festival. Church of the Advent Episcopal Diocese of Maine Limestone ... 207-492-4211 Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (#91000767). Presque Isle ... 207-764-6561 Located on the Spragueville Road, it ommemorates the first manned trans-Atlantic flight in a helium balloon. Northern Maine Museum of Science Presque Isle ... 207-768-9482 www.umpi.maine.edu/info/nmms/museums.htm Displays at the museum focus on science education with natural history materials, models and interactive displays targeted to students in grades 3 through college. Hosts a large collection of donated and loaned science materials, including a scale model of the solar system and a wide variety of fossils. Open to the public every day. Vera T. Estey House Presque Isle ... 207-762-1151 or 207-764-1403 The Estey House is open during the year by appointment. It contains all the late 19th/early 20th century belongings of Vera Estey. Vera Estey was a single, self-supporting woman and prominent member of the Presque Isle community. Knot II Bragg Farm Wade ... 207-455-8386 www.knotiibragg.com Step back in time and observe old-time methods for making butter, maple syrup, apple sauce/ apple butter, and soap. View Native American artifacts and learn the special uses of native medicinal herbs, many of which are grown, harvested, prepared, and sold at the farm. Open to the public from June 1st until October 31st weather permitting. Salmon Brook Historical Society Benjamin C. Wilder 1852 Homestead and Agricultural Museum Washburn ... 207-455-4339 The Homestead, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (#87000946), includes mid to late 1800s furnishings, photos and household wares. The Agricultural Museum inlcudes horse and tractor drawn implements, forestry implements, woodworking equipment, metal and stoneware, and a blacksmith’s shop. The Homestead and Museum are open from the 4th of July through Labor Day on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons and tours are given by appointment. Woodland Historical Society Woodland ... 207-498-3081 Lagerstrom House Museum and Snowman Schoolhouse Museum open by appointment. www.visitaroostook.com www.visitaroostook.com Houlton ... 207-532-9269 National Register of Historic Buildings. Hancock Barracks Houlton ... 207-532-4216 Federal Troops occupied this facility during the “Bloodless Aroostok War” in the northeastern boundary controversy from 1828-1845. Market Square Historic Business District Houlton ... 207-532-4216 A collection of 35 commercial and mercantile buildings surrounding the historic market square. Twenty-eight architecturally significant structures dating from 1885 to 1910. National Historic Preservation Commission. Walking tour maps available at Greater Houlton Chamber office. Island Falls Historical Society Museum at the Old Jailhouse Island Falls ... 207-463-2372 William Sewall House Island Falls ... 207-463-3428 This former private residence, US Post Office, and Inn was built in 1875 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings. It is currently being run as a bed and breakfast for yoga retreats. Southern Aroostook Agricultural Museum Littleton ... 207-538-9300 Located eight miles north of Houlton on Route 1, this facility displays a “Showcase of Aroostook County Farming Memorabilia.” Within this former elementary school, volunteers have built a replica of a country home, a model potato house and set up rooms for visitors to view woodworking tools, dairy and farming items, photos, clothing and furnishings. Outside in the museum yard there is an original one-room school house and a newly constructed 100x60’ barn filled with large farming machinery. Handicapped accessible. Watson Settlement Bridge Littleton ... 207-532-4216 Built in 1911, it is the youngest and the most northern covered bridge in the state. National Historic Preservation Commission. The bridge is located on the road to Woodstock from Littleton over Meduxnekeag Stream. Oakfield Railroad Museum Oakfield ... 207-757-8575 Dedicated to the early years of railroad transportation. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day, 1pm to 4pm, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays. Special appointments can be made for tour groups. Patten Lumbermen’s Museum Patten ... 207-528-2650 Established to document Maine Logging History by preserving the logging heritage and accomplishments of early inhabitants of the state of Maine. Exihibits at the museum include some of Maine’s most notable contributions to the early mechanization of logging, including the Lombard Steam Hauler, Lombard Gas Hauler, and the Peavey Cant Dog. A.B. Leavitt House Sherman Mills ... 207-463-2077 This single dwelling is on the National Regiser of Historic Buildings. 31 Aroostook County 32 www.visitaroostook.com Visitors often come to Aroostook County for two commodities that are becoming increasingly rare and valuable: natural, undeveloped space and a relaxed pace. In a world that often seems obsessed with pavement and multi-tasking, northern Maine stands out as one of the last truly wild areas in the East. It is home to vast stretches of forest land, thousands of acres of working farms and people that are genuinely interested in meeting others and making their visit to Aroostook a memorable one. Madawaska Community Park St. John Valley Trail Countywide ... 207-287-4957 Madawaska ... 207-728-7000 The St. John Valley Trail takes riders 18 miles from Fort Kent through St. John to St. Francis. Riders tour the countryside to experience rolling hills, farmland and several miles along the edge of the St. John River. While the trail is located near highways, users get a sense of remoteness. The trail is open year round for multiple use. Park with a beautiful Vietnam Memorial Monument. New Sweden ... 207-896-5807 Eagle Lake Public Reserved Land North Maine Woods ... 207-941-4014 Eagle Lake ... 207-435-7963 Eagle Lake is a 23,000-acre unit including most of Eagle Lake in northern Maine. The unit abuts Square Lake to the east with a thoroughfare connecting the two lakes. Aroostook County T16 R6 and T16 R 5 WELS Campsites are accessible only by boat. Long Lake Birch Point Beach Madawaska ... 207-728-3604 20 acre site has a picnic area, a sand volleyball court, tetherball and playground equipment. A bathhouse with restrooms is open from sunrise to sunset May through September. Round Pond Public Reserved Land Thomas Park Featuring a picturesque outdoor ampitheater and a maypole used during the annual New Sweden Midsommar Festival. Allagash Wilderness Waterway 92 mile-long series of lakes, streams, ponds, and rivers winding through the heart of the North Maine Woods. It provides many opportunities for fishing, camping, and canoeing. Debouille Public Reserved Land Aroostook is fortunate to host part of the International Appalachian Trail, which connects the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail at Mt. Katahdin in central Maine, with the Gaspé peninsula in Québec. For more information, contact Dick Anderson at 207-865-6233 or visit www.internationalat.org. Aroostook’s Golf Gems Aroostook County offers golfers a unique opportunity to enjoy a variety of courses that are challenging, fun and uncrowded. There are 18-hole championship courses and 9-hole local gems scattered throughout the region. Many courses offer tournaments, leagues and women’s days. Fort Kent Golf Course Fort Kent ... 207-834-3149 Birch Point Golf Course Round Pond takes its name from the pond, which is a wide section of the Allagash River. Canoeists from the river enjoy the view of river and forest from the observation tower on top of Round Pond Mt. This 20,000 acre unit is a popular hunting area in the fall. Aroostook County T13 R12 WELS. Located in Aroostook County between Presque Isle and Ashland, the 16,700-acre Squapan Management Unit contains some of the most rugged terrain in this part of the state. In addition to 1400-foot-high Squapan Mountain and 9.5 miles of shoreline on Squapan Lake, it also has low hills, wetlands, brooks, and a small pond. Access is by gravel road off Route 163 west of Presque Isle. Upper St. John River North Maine Woods ... 207-435-6213 The longest free-flowing river remaining in the Northeastern U.S. Considered a unique and irreplaceable natural area, and rich in history and culture. “The courses in Aroostook County had interesting layouts that used the hilly terrain to maximum effect, both for challenge and views. The County should be on every golfer’s list, great golf and great value.” -- David Irons New England Journal of Golf Mars Hill Country Club Mars Hill ... 207-425-4802 West Ridge Road Par 3 Golf Course St. John Valley ... 207-435-3231 These nine major lakes interconnected by the Fish River have attracted salmon and trout anglers for many years. Contains the most productive landlocked salmon fishery in the world. Aroostook Valley Trails Countywide ... 888-216-2463 75 miles of developed trail through fragrant forests and along rivers. Trail head facilities in Washburn, Caribou, and New Sweden. All recreational uses. North Maine Woods Collins Pond Park Caribou ... 207-493-4239 This park has a play area, group and family picnic sites and a 1.23 mile walking path. On the south shore of Collins Pond (via Sincock Street) you’ll find a lighted regulation-sized baseball field and a lighted soccer field, each of which play host to popular youth programs in the summer and fall. Teague Park Portage Hills Country Club Presque Isle Country Club Within its five acres, you’ll find a lighted softball/baseball field, lighted tennis courts, a creative playground, and the best picnic spot in town. In the colder months, Teague Park hosts a skating rink and nordic ski trails with a heated lodge for those really cold days. Va-Jo-Wa Golf Course Castle Hill ... 207-764-6561 Houlton Community Golf Course Located in Aroostook County between Presque Isle and Ashland, this kidfriendly mountain is an easy hike for the family and provides a covered picnic table to rest and have a snack. Limestone Country Club Limestone ... 207-328-7277 www.limestonecountryclub.com Presque Isle ... 207-764-0430 Haystack Mountain Island Falls ... 207-463-2128 Houlton ... 207-532-2662 www.visitaroostook.com Limestone ... 207-328-4634 In 1998, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service received 4,700 acres of the former base to establish the Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is a part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, a network of lands set aside specifically for the protection of wildlife and its habitat. Wetland, grassland, and northern forest habitats for migratory birds and endangered species are protected on the refuge. The interpretive center is open throughout the year. Mars Hill Mountain Mars Hill ... 207-492-1444 Presque Isle ... 207-768-8341 Caribou Country Club Fort Fairfield ... 207-476-8083 www.avcc.ca Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge The area provides numerous outdoor recreational opportunities for over 100,000 visitors each year while at the same time providing renewable forest resources which are a major part of Maine’s economy. Caribou ... 207-493-4239 Aroostook Valley Country Club Last community before crossing into New Brunswick, Canada. After leaving the border crossing here, the trail continues north on the border for 1.9 miles where it intersects an abandoned railway bed. At this point, hikers turn right and enter into the province of New Brunswick. The trail has huts built along it for hikers to rest and relax. The International Applachian Trail has been completed over Mars Hill Mountain and along the border to Fort Fairfield. Use the ski trails to reach the top of Mars Hill Mountain (Elevation 533m). Mars Hill ... 207-429-9368 Portage ... 207-435-8221 International Appalachian Trail Fort Fairfield ... 207-472-3800 Ashland ... 207-435-6213 www.northmainewoods.org Madawaska ... 207-895-6957 Caribou ... 207-493-3933 www.caribougolf.com 34 Castle Hill ... 207-435-7963 Fish River Lakes North Maine Woods ... 207-435-7963 Deboullie’s low rugged mountains and scenic remote trout ponds are all available for visitors using the 22,000 acre unit’s hiking trails and campsites. Snowmobilers frequently pass through the unit on their way from Eagle Lake to the Allagash. Access is gained by private gravel roads leaving Route 161 in St. Francis, or off Route 11 in Portage. Squapan Public Reserved Land North Maine Woods ... 207-435-7963 www.visitaroostook.com Aroostook State Park Aroostook State Park bears the distinct honor of being Maine’s first state park. Hiking trails up Quoggy Jo Mountain, swimming (no life guard) in Echo Lake, 30 campsites with no hookups, hot showers, flush toilets, kitchen shelter, picnic and playground facilities. Miles of traditional cross-country ski trails in the winter. Houlton-Phair Junction Trail Countywide ... 207-287-4957 The Houlton to Phair Junction trail is 40 miles long and extends from Houlton through the towns of Monticello, Bridgewater, Mars Hill, and loops through the southern edge of Presque Isle. Open year-round for multiple use. Arthur E. Howell Conservation Center and Spruce Acres Refuge Amity ... 207-532-6880 Camping area for environmental groups. Bird and animal watching. Forest management lots and wildlife planting areas. Picnic and recreation areas for children and adults. Guided tours by appointment. Stocked trout pond fishing for children under 12. Open May 15 through October 30, 10am to 4pm, Tuesday through Friday and 10am to 3pm on Saturday. Community Park Fairgrounds Houlton ... 207-532-1310 Picnic area, 3 tennis courts, 3 baseball fields, 1 softball field, 1 basketball court Just For Kids playground, log cabin building, and horseshoe pits. 35 Mapleton Daze Last Weekend in June Mapleton ... 207-764-3754 Mars Hill Winterfest Second Weekend in March It’s what makes our home, well, home. Spirited community festivals and fairs are the backbone of our unique traditional entertainment. From agricultural exhibitions and parades to arts and crafts fairs and Christmas tree lighting ceremonies, Aroostook has a festival to suit everyone’s interests. Can Am Sled Dog Race First Weekend in March Fort Kent ... 207-444-5439 www.can-am.sjv.net Wesget Sipu Pow-Wow First Weekend in July Fort Kent ... 800-SEE-FKME TD Banknorth Festival at Fort Kent Second Weekend in March Fort Kent ... 207-834-6202 Fort Kent ... 207-492-1444 www.10thmtskiclub.org Ploye Festival and Muskie Fishing Derby Second Weekend in August Mardi-Gras Week Leading Up to Mardi Gras Fort Kent ... 800-SEE-FKME Tour de la Vallee Third Weekend in August Fort Kent ... 207-834-3155 Scarecrow Festival Second Weekend in October Fort Kent ... 800-SEE-FKME Dickens of a Christmas Sunday before Thanksgiving Fort Kent ... 800-SEE-FKME Annual Arts and Crafts Fair Weekend Following Thanksgiving Fort Kent ... 800-SEE-FKME Ashland Summerfest Last Weekend in June Ashland ... 207-435-2311 Blaine Craft Fair First Weekend in November Blaine ... 207-429-9892 City Wide Yard Sale Third Weekend in May Caribou ... 800-722-7648 CaribouFest and Caribou Cares About Kids Second Weekend in August Caribou ... 800-722-7648 Fall Arts and Crafts Festival Third Weekend in October Caribou ... 800-722-7648 Santa Parade and Tree Lighting Day After Thanksgiving Caribou ... 800-722-7648 Caribou Winter Carnival and Snowmobile Fest Second Week in February 36 Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Weekend Following Thanksgiving Caribou ... 800-722-7648 Fort Kent ... 800-SEE-FKME Top of Maine Trade Show Last Weekend in April Madawaska ... 207-728-7000 Art Symposium Last Weekend in June Madawaska ... 207-728-4853 Classic Car Weekend Last Weekend in June Madawaska ... 207-728-6250 International Snowmobilers Festival First Weekend in February Madawaska ... 207-728-7000 www.isfim.org Acadian Festival Last Weekend in June Madawaska ... 207-728-6250 www.acadianfestival.com Midsommar Celebration Weekend Closest to June 21 New Sweden ... 207-728-7000 Fort Fairfield ... 207-472-3802 www.potatoblossom.org Annual Harvest Hoedown First Weekend in October Fort Fairfield ... 207-472-3802 www.fortcc.org Annual County Gospel Festival Second Weekend in July Fort Fairfield ... 207-472-3802 www.fortcc.org Christmas in the Village Second Weekend in December Fort Fairfield ... 207-472-3802 www.fortcc.org Northern Maine Fair and Lumberjack Roundup First Week in August Presque Isle ... 207-764-1884 www.northernmainefairgrounds.com Northern Maine Agri-Business Trade Fair Last Weekend in March Nordic Heritage Center Spring Series Last Weekend in March Presque Isle ... 207-764-0491 www.presqueisleforum.com City Wide Yard Sale First Weekend in June Presque Isle ... 207-764-6561 www.pichamber.com Crown of Maine Balloon Festival Last Weekend in August Presque Isle ... 207-764-6561 www.crownofmaineballoonfest.org Long Lake Ice Fishing Derby First Weekend in February Presque Isle ... 207-764-396 Presque Isle ... 207-764-0491 www.presqueisleforum.com Van Buren Yard Sale Last Weekend in June Danforth Summerfest Third Week in July Danforth ... 207-448-2321 County Open Golf Tournament Second Weekend in August New Sweden ... 207-728-7000 St. Agatha ... 207-534 -7305 Van Buren ... 207-868-5059 Summer Festival Last Weekend in July Van Buren ... 207-868-5059 St. Bruno Community Bazaar August Van Buren ... 207-868-5059 Easton Field Days Second Weekend in July Maine Potato Blossom Festival Third Week in July Presque Isle ... 207-764-0491 Spring Trash and Treasure Sale Second Weekend in April Presque Isle ... 207-764-0491 www.presqueisleforum.com Presque Isle ... 207-472-3802 Christmas Light Parade December Easton ... 207-488-6915 Anah Temple Shrine Circus First Weekend in May Holiday Light Parade First Saturday in December Santa Lucia Day December 13 Rock the Valley Festival Second Weekend in July Madawaska ... 207-728-7000 Mars Hill ... 207-429-9388 Spring Arts, Crafts and Antique Show First Weekend in April Caring County Craft Fair Second Weekend in November Home, Garden and Rec Show First Weekend in April Fall Crafts Fair Second Weekend in October Houlton ... 207-521-2503 www.countyopen.com Arts Around the Square August Houlton ... 207-532-4216 www.greaterhoulton.com Houlton ... 207-532-4216 Meduxnekeag River Canoe Race Third Weekend in April Santa Claus Light Parade Saturday after Thanksgiving Houlton ... 207-532-4216 Soap Box Derby Third Weekend in June Houlton ... 207-532-4216 www.greaterhoulton.com Maliseet Indian Recognition Day Second Weekend in September Houlton ... 207-532-4216 www.mainesoapboxderby.org Houlton ... 207-532-4273 County Bluegrass Festival Last Weekend in July Midnight Madness Last Weekend in June Fort Fairfield ... 207-472-3802 www.countybluegrass.com Houlton ... 207-532-4216 www.greaterhoulton.com Moose Stompers Weekend First Weekend in February Town Yard Sale Last Weekend in May Houlton Agricultural Fair Fourth of July Weekend Van Buren ... 207-868-5059 Fort Fairfield ... 207-472-3802 Children’s Fishing Derby Third Weekend in May Limestone ... 207-325-4025 City Wide Yard Sale Last Weekend in June Limestone ... 207-325-4025 4th of July Celebration Weekend Closest to July 4 Limestone ... 207-325-4025 Oktober Fest Last Weekend in October Limestone ... 207-325-4025 www.visitaroostook.com Houlton ... 207-532-4216 www.houltonfair.com Houlton Arts and Crafts Fair First Weekend in July Houlton ... 207-532-4216 www.greaterhoulton.com Potato Feast Days Third Weekend in August Houlton ... 207-532-4216 www.greaterhoulton.com Houlton Arts and Crafts Third Weekend in August Houlton ... 207-532-4216 www.greaterhoulton.com www.visitaroostook.com Houlton ... 207-532-4216 Winter Arts and Crafts Fair Last Weekend in November Houlton ... 207-532-1310 Island Falls Summerfest Last Weekend in July Island Falls ... 207-532-4216 Christmas Craft Fair First Weekend in November Island Falls ... 207-532-4216 Island Falls Winterfest and Log Drivers Cookout Second Weekend in February Island Falls ... 207-532-4216 Antique Car Show August Littleton ... 207-532-4216 Presque Isle ... 207-764-6561 www.pichamber.com Presque Isle ... 207-492-1444 www.nordicheritagecenter.org Washburn August Festival Third Weekend in August Washburn ... 207-455-8485 www.washburnmaine.org Westfield Jubilee Third Weekend in August Westfield ... 207-429-8129 Patten Pioneer Days Second Week in August Patten ... 207-528-2902 Strawberry Festival Second Weekend in July Stacyville ... 207-463-2077 Olde Home Days Labor Day Weekend Sherman ... 207-463-2077 AE Howell Wildlife Open House Day First Saturday of August Amity ... 207-532-6880 www.spruceacresrefuge.com LOCAL 411 “If you’re searching for the perfect ATV trail rides, look no further. The Mountain Loop Trail around Squa Pan Mountain in central Aroostook is exciting and beautiful as you lumber up the steep mountainside and cruise back down again. It is especially breathtaking in September, when the stands of hardwood trees turn brilliant red, yellow and orange. A more relaxing ride can be found on the old railroad bed from Presque Isle to Monticello, where you can be rewarded with a great meal from the Blue Moose restaurant. The trail also includes an Allagash Guide Service [ canoes and kayaks ] With its hundreds of miles of trails and thousands of lakes and rivers, you don’t want to miss the chance to play in Allagash ... 207-398-3481 www.allagashguideservice.com Aroostook, even if you didn’t bring your own equipment. There are several opportunities to rent new and up-to-date Allagash Outfitters [ canoes and kayaks ] recreational equipment, whether you’re hankering for a long snowmobile ride, a quiet place to paddle, a gnarly Allagash ... 207-398-3277 www.allagashoutfitters.com mountain bike trail or a fun-filled day on an ATV. Grab a trail map, plan your route and give one of these outfitters a Canoes-R-Us [ canoes and kayaks ] Fort Kent ... 207-834-6329 call to set up your day of Aroostook adventure. Valley Rentals [ snowmobiles ] Fort Kent ... 207-834-6310 Checkpoint Auto [ snowmobiles ] Ashland ... 207-435-3400 www.sledmaine.com/rental/ckeckpt.htm Red’s Recreational Rentals and Service [ canoes, kayaks, snowmobiles ] Uptown Variety [ snowmobiles, ATVs, watercrafts, jetskis ] Meduxnekeag Stream. ” Linda Hubbard, Mapleton St. Agatha ... 207-543-5104 Maine Canoe Adventures [ canoes and kayaks ] St. Francis ... 207-398-3191 www.mainecanoeadventures.com Water’s Edge RV Resort [ canoes and kayaks ] Sinclair ... 207-543-5189 www.watersedgervresort.net Arndt’s Aroostook River Lodge and Campground [ canoes and kayaks ] Ouellette’s Trading Post [ canoes ] Van Buren ... 207-868-2727 The Ski Shop [ canoes and kayaks ] Van Buren ... 207-868-2737 The Sled Shop [ snowmobiles and ATVs ] Presque Isle ... 207-764-8677 www.arndtscamp.com Presque Isle ... 207-764-2900 Washburn ... 207-455-4700 www.sledquarters.com Nordic Heritage Sport Center [ nordic ski equipment and snowshoes ] Jordan Snowmobile Rentals [ snowmobiles ] Presque Isle ... 207-760-9500 Washburn ... 207-455-4410 Big Rock Ski Area [ skis and snowboards ] Perception of Aroostook [ kayaks ] UFF DA Rentals [ snowmobiles ] mojo [ canoes, kayaks, skis, bikes ] Presque Isle ... 207-760-9500 www.visitaroostook.com Fort Kent ... 207-834-6310 exhilirating trip across a bridge some 60 feet above the Caribou ... 207-492-5281 www.reds-maine.com Mars Hill ... 866-529-2695 www.skibigrock.org 38 10th Mountain Ski Center [ nordic ski equipment and snowshoes ] www.visitaroostook.com Presque Isle ... 207-764-5506 Quoggy Jo Community Alpine Area [ skis and snowboards ] Shin Pond ... 207-528-2452 www.uffdarentals.com Presque Isle ... 207-492-1444 www.mainewsc.org/facilities/quoggyjo.html 39 Enjoy the Beauty... Enjoy the Challenge • 18 Scenic Golf Holes • Par 72 - Rating 68.7 - Slope 125 • Driving Range and Practice Green • Cart and Club Rental • Full Pro Shop and Snack Bar 75 Country Club Road • Mars Hill, ME 04758 • (207) 425-4802 www.golfmhcc.com 3232 Aroostook Road PO Box 347 Eagle Lake, ME 04739 phone: 207-444-4535 fax: 207-444-6133 overlookmotel.com Phones Air Conditioning Cable TV Private Decks Hot Tub Suites Efficiencies 2 and 3 BR Apartments In-Room Coffee Makers Continental Breakfast Boat Rentals Tanning Bed Private Beach Coin-Op Laundry MAINE FIRE PREVENTION SERVICES MAINE FIRE PREVENTION SERVICES Sales and Service of Fire Extinguishers & Hood Suppression Systems The B’s www.mainefirepreventionservices.com 244 Bangor Road PO Box 1362 Houlton, ME 04730 Phone: 207-532-6700 Cell: 207-551-4161 Fax: 207-532-6700 Email: mfps@verizon.net • 4 Bedroom, 1.5 Bath • Fully furnished home • 12 Guest capacity • Direct access to ITS trails • Conveniently located to local amenities • 2 Car garage • Satellite TV/VCR, stereo, piano • Washer/dryer • Huge enclosed porch • Gas grill Eagle Lake • Phone Maine A Paddler’s Paradise Whether your craft of choice is a canoe, kayak, or flat-bottom fishing River. This river starts in the great north woods and winds its way east, then turns south, boat, there are boundless opportunities to get on the water in Aroos- forming the border between Maine and New Brunswick between the towns of Allagash took. Paddlers of all abilities will find the perfect meandering river, and Van Buren. This river is home to the Furbish Lousewort, a flowering plant that exists quiet lake or quick-flowing stream on which to spend some time. In the only in the St. John River Valley and has not been found anywhere else on earth. There are west is the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, a 90+ mile series of lakes also the Fish River Lakes, a chain of lakes connected by thoroughfares and the Fish River and river. This wilderness river has it all... the class III Chase Rapids, that stretches from west of Portage to Fort Kent. Paddlers can try out each lake individually the vast expanse of Chamberlain Lake, fabulous campsites on Round or connect them in a series to provide multi-day tripping options. In central Aroostook is Pond and the unforgettable Allagash Falls. In the south there is East the beautiful Aroostook River. The river is formed at the confluence of the Munsungan and Grand Lake. This natural wonder borders Maine and New Brunswick Millinocket streams and flows through majestic forests and picturesque farmlands to the and has miles and miles of undeveloped shoreline to explore. There US/Canada border just east of Fort Fairfield. And there are hundreds, if not thousands, of are many fishing options in this body of water and the best access to additional options for paddling in Aroostook. Whether you are a seasoned canoe camper “the big ones” can be found from your boat. Up north is the St. John or a day trip kayaker, you are sure to find what you want in Aroostook County. Daily & weekly rates available “The Prestile Stream in Robinson is a must-see, For more information on Aroostook County contact the friendly professionals at easy-going paddle for kayakers who also enjoy bird watching. Once you put-in at the dam, you can paddle upstream to see fantastic rock formations, great blue herons, white cranes, belted blue king fishers, spotted sandpipers and, if you’re lucky, an eagle or two.” Aroostook County Tourism Dawn McPherson, Presque Isle 1-888-216-2463 www.visitaroostook.com 40 Arrive in northern Maine without your boat? Check out page 39 for local rental facilities. www.visitaroostook.com www.visitaroostook.com LOCAL 411 41 Loring has an available inventory of existing buildings, featuring turnkey commercial manufacturing and office space and prime developable land for sale or lease. Call us for your business location or startup needs! Maine’s Premier Business Development Park Loring Development Authority Limestone, Maine Ph: 207-328-7005 1-888-LORING-1 Email: lda@loring.org For more details visit www.loring.org 6 Washburn Street 6 Washburn Street CARIBOU CARIBOU 496-6723 496-6723 2121 RiceRice Street Street PRESQUE ISLE PRESQUE ISLE 764-2720 764-2720 8FSFJOUIFCVTJOFTTPGQSPWJEJOH Ashland*............... 435-6461 17 Main Street Caribou*................ 498-4200 105 Bennett Drive Eagle Lake ........... 444-5543 3440 Aroostook Road Easton.................... 488-6642 82 Center Road Fort Fairfield*..... 472-3161 290 Main Street Houlton*................ 532-4277 65 North Street Island Falls*......... 463-2228 1007 Crystal Road Big City CareXJUISmall Town Compassion Limestone*.......... 325-4711 35 Main Street Mars Hill*............. 429-8400 28 Main Street Oakfield ................. 757-8288 200 Oakfield Smyrna Road Patten*.................. 528-2211 11 Main Street Presque Isle*...... 764-8000 6 North Street Van Buren*.......... 868-2728 29 Main Street Washburn............. 455-8141 1282 Main Street 8IFUIFS ZPVSF B GVUVSF SFTJEFOU PG ѮF $PVOUZ PS KVTU WJTJUJOH UIF BSFB ZPV IBWF BDDFTT UP UIF NPTU DPNQSFIFOTJWFSBOHFPGBDVUFQSJNBSZBOETQFDJBMUZ DBSF TFSWJDFT BWBJMBCMF JO /PSUIFSO .BJOF BU ѮF "SPPTUPPL.FEJDBM$FOUFS5".$ "OE TJODF PVS WJTJPO JT UP CFDPNF UIF CFTU SVSBM IFBMUIDBSF PSHBOJ[BUJPO JO "NFSJDB XFMM TUSJWF UP QSPWJEF ZPV XJUI UIF CFTU QPTTJCMF DBSF EFMJWFSFE CZ UIF GSJFOEMJFTU NPTU DPNQBTTJPOBUF IFBMUIDBSF QSPGFTTJPOBMTBWBJMBCMF *24 Hour ATM *UT CJH DJUZ DBSF XJUI TNBMM UPXO DPNQBTTJPO -FU VT FYDFFEZPVSFYQFDUBUJPOT XXXUBNDPSHΧ 42 www.visitaroostook.com www.visitaroostook.com 43 Don’t Forget the Kids! What’s it like in Aroostook? Early European settlers came to Aroostook to take advantage of its vast forest and fertile farmland. The county is larger than the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined and 89% of that land is still covered by forest. Growing potatoes and lumbering are still important jobs in the area, so it is common to see potato fields, tractors and harvesters, as well as tractor trailer trucks laden with logs cut from the forest. Many families are supported by jobs such as lumberman, sawmill foreman, potato broker and farmer. When you visit Aroostook, you will also see a lot of water. Although it’s many miles from the ocean, the area is filled with thousands of lakes, streams, rivers and ponds. If you add them all together, Aroostook’s bodies of water cover over 80,000 acres of land. And if you connected all the streams and rivers, you could kayak from Presque Isle to Los Angeles, California and back again! The earliest settlers in Aroostook were Native Americans and today, the Micmac and Maliseet Indian tribes are still an integral part of the area’s heritage. Many of the town, lake and river names are rooted in these native languages. In fact, the word “Aroostook” comes from the Micmac word meaning “beautiful river” and is also the name of the major river running through the central part of the county. The summers are sizzlin’ hiking Aroostook has long been famous for its natural beauty and taking a hike with the family is a great way to take it all in. There are two wildlife conservation centers where short hikes are sure to be rewarded with animal sightings. And there are an abundance of trails throughout the area that offer everything from mountaintop vistas to chilly stream crossings to breathtaking waterfalls. A great place to start exploring is the North Maine Woods. catchin’ the big one Whether it’s a trout, a salmon or a smallmouth bass, Aroostook is the place to toss your line. With more than 2000 lakes, streams, rivers and ponds to choose from, you’re sure to find a great spot to hone your fishing skills. Many communities also hold fishing derbies each year. 44 mountain biking Aroostook’s terrain and trail systems aren’t only for hikers. There are a growing number of communities that have some great trails for mountain biking. The Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle and the 10th Mountain Lodge in Fort Kent have an extensive system of mountain bike trails, as well as a killer terrain park. Mantle Lake Park in Presque Isle has a fun network of trails that includes some challenging apparatus like teeter totters and elevated bridges. fun festivals Nearly every community in Aroostook has its very own festival or fair and most of them are geared toward kids. There are parades, petting zoos, amusement rides, fireworks, games and competitions, local music and food that is typically reserved until after all your vegetables are eaten. You and your family can help decorate the maypole at the Midsommar Festival in New Sweden, go on a hayride at the Caribou Cares About Kids celebration in Caribou, or compete in the human curling event at the Moosestompers festival in Houlton. Whenever you find yourself in northern Maine, check out the calendar of events and don’t miss out on the hometown fun! The winters are wicked winter carnivals The festival fun doesn’t stop when the snow flies in Aroostook. With nearly 10 feet of annual snowfall, the fun really starts to heat up when winter arrives.The Can-Am Dog Sled race in Fort Kent attracts spectators from around the county and many communities hold annual light parades that bring out countless good-natured businesses and their shining floats. Aroostook is also quickly becoming a hot spot for world-class biathlon and nordic ski events that are great fun to watch. Winter carnivals are filled with games on snow and ice, like sledding, sleigh rides and ice skating, and just-for-fun competitions like human curling and tug-of-wars. lace up the skates And what would winter be without ice skating? There are several outdoor areas at local community parks or on town ponds and lakes. Both Presque Isle and Fort Kent also have indoor arenas and busy hockey and figure skating programs. For detailed information on specific events or resources, see pages 34-37. www.visitaroostook.com terrain parks and more Both downhill skiers and snowboarders can find fun at several terrain parks across the county. Big Rock in Mars Hill boasts a great new park with its own chair lift, and kids at the smaller alpine hills get started by building their own terrain. And cross-country skiers won’t be left out. The Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle and the 10th Mountain Lodge in Fort Kent offer bumps, jumps and obstacles for kids who enjoy the challenge of skiing up the hill as well as down. snowmobiling There is no place like Aroostook for snowmobiling. There are over 2300 miles of expertly groomed trail across the region. That’s like snowmobiling from Boston, MA all the way to El Paso, TX (if there were snow in Texas, of course!) And many local snowmobile clubs hold weekend poker runs and host hearty suppers at the clubhouse. And don’t forget the International Snowmobilers Festival in Madawska, where you can explore the Canadian side of the border! For detailed information on specific events or resources, see pages 34-37. www.visitaroostook.com 45 Northern Maine Community College Bringing a Higher Level of Healthcare Business Technology Department Accounting Information Systems Business Administration Computer Information Systems General Technology Information Technology Office Administration (Legal, Medical, Executive) Office Assistant Department of Arts & Sciences Early Childhood Education Liberal Studies Paraeducation Nursing & Allied Health Department Associate Degree Nursing (RN) Emergency Medical Services EMT - Intermediate Paramedicine Trade & Technical Occupations Dept. Automotive Body Repair Automotive Technology Computer Electronics Computer-Aided Drafting Diesel Hydraulics Technology Electrical Construction & Maintenance General Technology Machine Tool Technology Plumbing & Heating Precision Metals Manufacturing Residential Construction Welding & Metal Fabrication You can get there from here. (207) 768-2785 1-800-535-6682 www.nmcc.edu 33 Edgemont Drive l Presque Isle, ME 04769 A Tradition of Community Healthcare 163 Van Buren Rd. · Caribou, ME 04736 207-498-3111 · FAX 207-496-2631 Call 1-800-371-6240 Contributing Photographers The mission of Aroostook County Tourism is to develop and promote compelling, diverse Ray Burby Dawn McPherson Bob Duchesne Tom Bushey North Maine Woods Dave Spooner Cary is an equal opportunity provider Chris Jackson, LATC Need a Physician? Cover Photos by Joel Johndro, Michele Stapleton, Tom Bushey and John Farra Joel Johndro Michele Stapleton Martin Brown Mike McNally Mike Langley Leslie Thompson www.carymedicalcenter.org John Farra The Star Herald Renee Armstrong Amanda Smith Melissa Arndt Celebrating 25 Years of Service Illustrations by Cortney Rector tourism opportunities in Graphic Design, Copywriting and Production by Slingshot Multimedia and Sacher Design northern Maine. Aroostook County Tourism Board of Directors Fritz Appleby Aroostook State Park Rita Cannan Can-Am Sled Dog Race Association Mary Ellen Chasse Maine Snowmobile Association Regional Director Gloria Caron North Maine Woods Don Cyr Maine Acadian Heritage Council Walt Elish Aroostook Partners for Progress 46 Charles P. Harris Northern Maine Development Commission Barry McCrum Mars Hill Mountain Association Lisa Miles Citadel Communications Marcia Pond-Anderson Patten Lumberman’s Museum Andy Shepard Maine Winter Sports Center Kevin Simmons Caribou and Presque Isle Inn & Convention Centers Milton Smith KFC/Taco Bell Governor’s Tourism Commission Kirk Tibbetts Association of Aroostook Chambers of Commerce Jim Kaiser Presque Isle Forum Kathleen A. Mazzuchelli Caribou Recreation Department Gina Iacoponi Clark Two Nation Guides and Receptive Tour Services www.visitaroostook.com Pines Health Center: Caribou 498-2356 Loring Health Center: Limestone Family Health Center: Presque Isle 769-2025 Center for Women’s & Children’s Health: Caribou Pediatrics 492-3451 OB/GYN 498-6921 St. John Valley Health Center: Van Buren 868-2796 www.visitaroostook.com 328-4631 47 1-888-216-2463 www.visitaroostook.com Paid for in part by a grant from the Maine Office of Tourism. For additional information on Maine, call 1-888-Maine45 or visit www.visitmaine.com.